The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Sunday approved a bill against UNRWA, proposed by Knesset members Boaz Bismuth, Ron Katz, Yulia Malinovsky and Dan Illouz. The bill will soon to be brought for a plenary vote.
According to the bill, the only agreement (from 1967) that allows UNRWA to operate in Israel will be annulled, and as a result, the organization’s activities will no longer be legal in Israel. In addition, any contact between officials from Israel and UNRWA personnel will be prohibited and, among others, they will not be given diplomatic visas and economic benefits. The bill also stipulates that any criminal procedure that has or will apply to a UNRWA employee in connection with the crimes they committed on October 7th or in any connection related to the anti-terrorism law will remain valid.
Chairman of the committee, MK Yuli Edelstein, said that "the problem of UNRWA did not start on October 7th, but was only observed and exposed in all its evilness on that day." For many years, members of Knesset from all ends of the political spectrum have been raising the issue and advancing bills on the matter. We all saw UNRWA's activities on October 7th and on that day there was no concern for "relief and employment." We know that some of the hostages were held by UNRWA employees.
This is a complex issue with widespread implications, and for that reason, in the last few weeks we, i.e. the committee staff and myself, together with members of Knesset, have worked very intensively with various parties, with the aim of reaching significant and operative drafts of the law."
Before the passing the law to stop UNRWA activities, the bereaved families were given the opportunity to speak before the committee. Adv. Itzik Buntzel, father of Amit Buntzel z”l, demanded that the chairman of the committee conduct an in-depth discussion on the bills agreed upon by the parties in the closed hearing, "We did not come here today to serve as an ornament for the committee or to talk about the boys’ bravery. I came today on behalf of the Heroes Forum, to make sure that UNRWA terrorists, who are Hamas operatives, will no longer be able to operate within Israel's borders. Don't give them criminal immunity for their actions from October 7th until today and don't enable a situation where jurists claim that international law regarding UNRWA prevails over the law that is being enacted now," said Buntzel. After discussions and pressure by the Gvura Forum, the bill was passed with their consent.
MK Dan Illouz, one of the initiators of the bill, said that, "long ago UNRWA changed from a humanitarian organization into a tool of terrorism, while exceeding its duties, and became an ally of Hamas in the fight against Israel. My bill to sever ties with UNRWA is vital for Israel's security and the preservation of our sovereignty. Anyone who helps terrorists will not enjoy the protection and immunity of the State of Israel."
MK Boaz Bismuth, one of the initiators of the bill, said, "The approval of the law on the day before October 7th is proof that the statement "what was, is not what will be" is not an empty slogan. Through this, we convey a clear message to the terrorists: ‘we will not forget, we will not forgive, and we will take all and any measures to ensure the security of our country!’"
MK Yulia Malinovsky, another of the initiators of the bill, added that "Today, the day before the anniversary of October 7th, we are giving a little justice to the victims of that cursed Sabbath and their families. UNRWA, which cooperated and continues to cooperate with the murderous terrorist organization Hamas, will be removed from here.
(IDF film)
UNRWA employees who participated in the massacre will be prosecuted and tax benefits and all other perks they received will be stopped immediately. What remains now is only the vote in the Knesset plenum and I call on the speaker of the Knesset, together with the chairman of the coalition and the opposition to introduce the law as soon as possible, so that we can get rid of UNRWA once and for all," Malinovsky said.
The Im Tirzu Movement, which led a public struggle to close UNRWA's activities, declared:
“Menachem Begin passed the sovereignty on the Golan Heights bill in three readings on the same day. We call on the speaker of the Knesset, the heads of the coalition and the opposition to agree as soon as possible on the date for passing the bill as early as possible in October, to complete the legislation to close UNRWA. This way Israel will be able to open a new page in its relationships with its neighbors, without the lies of the refugees and without education to incitement. We congratulate the chairman of the committee and the members of the Knesset who helped and pushed for the advancement of the law!"
Shai Glick, Director of B'tzalmo, said: “I welcome the passing of the laws to evict UNRWA. I urgently call on the Knesset to convene before the holidays and ratify the law. I also call on the government to implement the law as soon as possible. UNRWA is an organization that harms Israel every single moment of its existence. A large percentage of its employees are complicit in terrorism and the October 7th massacre, and it has no place in a normalized country.