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Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz called on Saturday for changing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) into an agency that “dedicates its work to true peace and development,” following an Israeli accusation that employees of the UN agency were involved in the “Touqan Al-Aqsa” operation on October 7. October 1st.
UNRWA announced on Friday evening that it had expelled “several” employees accused by the Israeli authorities of involvement in the attack, and the United States, Canada, Australia, Italy, and Britain quickly suspended funding for the agency.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on the X platform on Saturday that the Foreign Ministry aims to ensure that “UNRWA will not be part of the phase” that follows the war, adding that he will seek to mobilize support from the United States, the European Union and other major donors.
Later, Katz said in a statement, “In the Gaza reconstruction phase, UNRWA should be replaced by agencies devoting its work to peace and development,” calling on more donors to suspend their funding.
For its part, the Hamas movement on Saturday denounced the Israeli "threats" against UNRWA and other UN organizations, and called on "the United Nations and international institutions not to give in to the threats and blackmails" of Israel.
UNRWA announced on Friday evening, “The Israeli authorities provided UNRWA with information about the suspected involvement of a number of its employees” in the October 7 attack inside Israeli territory.
“In order to protect the agency’s ability to provide humanitarian aid, I have decided to immediately terminate the contracts of these employees and open an investigation until the truth is established without delay,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement.
He continued, "Every employee involved in terrorist acts must be held accountable, including through judicial prosecutions."
Tensions have increased in recent days between Israel and the UN agency, after an artillery shelling targeted a UN shelter in Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, killing 13 people on Wednesday.
For its part, the Israeli occupation army said that it was conducting a "comprehensive review of force operations in the region" and was considering the possibility that the raid was "the result of Hamas fire."
It is known that the Israeli occupation army is the only one that possesses tanks in the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
"Vital Role"
The United States, a prominent supporter of the agency, withdrew its funding under the administration of former President Donald Trump, which considered its activities "irredeemably biased."
But that changed with the arrival of Joe Biden to the presidency and the announcement in 2021 of US funding for UNRWA worth $340 million.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell praised the agency on Friday for “playing a vital role over many years in supporting Palestinian refugees.”
But he said the expects “full transparency” as well as “immediate action against the employees involved.”
For its part, the Palestinian Authority confirmed on Saturday that UNRWA needs “support” and not “stopping support and aid.”
There was no comment from UNRWA on Saturday regarding the suspension of funding by several countries.
Yohan Sophie, who previously worked as director of UNRWA's legal office in the Gaza Strip, said that the agency "has always followed a policy of zero tolerance for violence and incitement to hatred."
"Imposing sanctions on UNRWA, which barely sustains the lives of all Gazans, due to the alleged responsibility of a small number of employees, is tantamount to collective punishment of the people of Gaza who live in catastrophic humanitarian conditions," he told AFP.
AFP