The EU expressed Saturday grave concern over draft legislation in the Israeli parliament that would ban the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating in Israel and potentially restrict aid to Gaza. The proposed bill, if enacted, would abrogate the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA, terminating the agency’s operations in Israel and East Jerusalem.

On October 6, the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee approved two bills aimed at halting UNRWA’s activities in Israel. According to the Jerusalem Post, the first would prohibit UNRWA from providing services, or conducting any activities within Israel. The second bill declares that the 1967 treaty with UNRWA void upon the Knesset’s final approval and revokes immunities granted to UNRWA staff.

In response, the EU’s High Representative argued that by halting UNRWA’s life-saving operations in Gaza, the bills seriously hamper provision of health, education and social services in West Bank, describing UNRWA’s work in the area as “a pillar of regional stability.”

In a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres also expressed profound concern, warning that the draft legislation would be “catastrophic,” ending coordination to protect UN facilities serving hundreds of thousands of people. He emphasized UNRWA’s extensive operations, including nearly 400 schools and 65 medical centers in the West Bank and Gaza, serving over 350,000 children and supporting a significant portion of Gaza’s population. He cautioned that legislation severing ties between a UN member state and a UN agency would be a “very worrisome development” and indicated he would raise the issue with the UN General Assembly if the bills pass.

Guterres added that such legislation would violate Israel’s international obligations and hinder peace efforts. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates simiarly condemned the Knesset’s actions as a “blatant attack” on the UN. In another statement, the ministry viewed the move as part of Israel’s broader campaign against Palestinian rights, particularly the right of return as outlined in UN Resolution 194.

The proposed legislation comes amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which Guterres described as entering “an atrocious, abominable second year.” He highlighted the intensification of Israeli military operations in northern Gaza and the forced movement of approximately 400,000 people into overcrowded areas in the south.

UNRWA, established in 1949, supports Palestine refugees across the Middle East, including in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The agency’s mandate, derived from UN General Assembly resolutions, includes providing education, healthcare, emergency assistance and other humanitarian assistance.

As the Knesset prepares for final approval after its winter session begins on October 28, the EU reiterated its commitment to supporting UNRWA, emphasizing the agency’s role in ensuring conditions for a credible pathway towards a two-state solution. The situation remains fluid as international pressure mounts on Israel to reconsider the proposed legislation.