UNRWA to continue operations despite Israeli ban

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said it will still operate within the occupied Palestinian territories despite Israel’s ban on its work, The National reported on January 30th.

Israel’s parliament passed legislation effectively banning UNRWA from doing its work and stopping Israeli officials from communicating with the agency in October. The country has not gone into the details as to how it aims to carry out the ban.

Tamara Al Rifai, director of external relations and communications at UNRWA said its staff will still be doing its work “within an exceptionally hostile environment.”

Al Rifai told The National: “There will be a lack of protection guarantees for our staff – so that if anything happens to them, UNRWA will no longer have access to Israeli officials.”

The National