The Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has officially informed the members of the UN Security Council that UNRWA is required to cease all activities in Jerusalem and leave Israel’s capital within 48 hours. He stated, “Within 48 hours, the State of Israel will cease its cooperation with UNRWA. UNRWA must cease its activities and evacuate all its facilities in Jerusalem.”
Danon further explained, “The legislation prohibits UNRWA from operating within the sovereign territory of the State of Israel and prohibits any contact between Israeli authorities and UNRWA. In addition, the organization is prohibited from maintaining any representative office, service or activity in our territories. Israel will terminate any cooperation, communication or contact with UNRWA or anyone acting on its behalf.”
The UN Security Council convened today to deliberate on UNRWA as the Israeli law is set to go into effect on January 30.
The Ambassador continued, “This decision comes after years of good-faith efforts to compel you to act against Hamas’ infiltration of UNRWA. The decision also reflects a grim reality: that UNRWA has failed morally and professionally and harmed people who were supposed to receive necessary support.”
Danon’s announcement comes in response to legislation passed by the Knesset in October, which prohibits UNRWA from operating on Israeli territory, with the law scheduled to take effect on January 30.
Just one week after the Knesset passed the law, Israel’s then-Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, formally declared the cancellation of the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA, which had previously served as the legal foundation for relations between the two entities.
{Matzav.com}