The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee has unanimously approved a bill designating the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) as a terrorist organization.
It took long time, but at last:
A new law in Israel was approved today declaring @UNRWA as a Terror organization.
Hoping that in few month the law will get final legal approval,and then ? goodbye to the biggest antisémite organization in Israel. pic.twitter.com/GTHg2i6KjQ— אריה קינג Arieh King (@arieh_king) July 9, 2024
The bill, initiated by Israel Beytenu MK Yulia Malinovsky, will be on the agenda for a first reading in the Knesset plenum most likely next week.
“UNRWA’s crimes on October 7th and the agency’s cooperation with terrorist organizations are unforgivable,” Malinovsky said.
“An organization whose employees are social workers, doctors and teachers by day, and terrorists by night is a terrorist organization for all intents and purposes.”
Two additional UNRWA bills were also approved by the Committee.
The first bill, proposed by Likud MK Boaz Bismuth, would ban UNRWA from operating on Israeli territory. At present UNRWA operates in post-1967 areas of Jerusalem, where it runs schools that incite their students to murder Israeli citizens.
The second bill, a combination of two separate proposals by Likud MK Dan Illouz and Yesh Atid MK Ron Katz, would strip UNRWA personnel of the perks they enjoy under United Nations status, such as property tax exemptions and diplomatic immunity.
“This bill will allow us to enforce the law against UNRWA. It is a crucial law for our national security,” Illouz said following the vote. “After October 7th, we cannot continue as if nothing happened.”
