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Israeli Knesset Approves Bills in First Reading to Sever Ties with UNRWA, Label it Terrorist Organization

Jul 22, 2024, 05:35 PM

The Israeli Knesset has given preliminary approval in the first reading to three bills aimed at severing ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The first bill, which passed with a vote of 58-9, seeks to ban UNRWA from operating on Israeli territory. The second bill aims to strip UNRWA personnel of legal protections, while the third bill classifies UNRWA as a terrorist organization. This move comes amid allegations that UNRWA facilities in Gaza are being exploited by Hamas for terrorism, and that 12% of UNRWA's Gaza-based employees are affiliated with Palestinian terror groups.