BRUSSELS (WAM)
The European Union expresses its grave concern about the draft bill on UNRWA currently discussed in the Israeli parliament.
"The EU strongly supports the UN Secretary General’s call on the matter and shares the concern that this draft bill, if adopted, would have disastrous consequences, preventing the UN Agency from continuing to provide its services and protection to Palestine refugees in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza,'' said Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in a statement on Saturday.
"The final adoption of the bill would abrogate the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA, stop all UNRWA’s operations in Israel and East Jerusalem, destroy UNRWA’s life-saving operations in Gaza, seriously hamper provision of health, education and social services in the West Bank, and revoke UNRWA’s diplomatic privileges and immunities,'' he warned.
The EU urges the Israeli authorities to ensure that UNRWA is allowed to continue carrying out its crucial work in line with its mandate adopted by the UN General Assembly.