Jews against the Occupation 鈥48 (JAO鈥48) is calling on the international community to demand Israel be prevented from imposing a ban on the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), due to take effect on January 30.
JAO鈥48 said on January 9 that the ban would 鈥渃ompletely undermine the delivery of humanitarian aid work and vital services to the people of Gaza, as well as to the Palestinian population in the other unlawfully occupied territories鈥.
It described the ban as a 鈥渄eath sentence鈥 for UNWRA, part of Israel鈥檚 鈥渋llegal extermination and expulsion鈥 of Palestinians.
Israel鈥檚 justification for the ban is based on a smear campaign, the group said, and is 鈥渁imed at destroying UNWRA altogether鈥. But Israel cannot be trusted to provide, or allow, any viable alternative to UNWRA.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said, 鈥淣o other UN or NGO does such work鈥 and 鈥淯NRWA can be replaced only through a functioning Palestinian state which would address the plight of Palestine refugees鈥.
Federal Labor, along with six other countries, expressed concern last October about Israel鈥檚 law on UNWRA. They urged Israel to abide by its international obligations and facilitate the 鈥渇ull, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance in all its forms as well as the provision of sorely needed basic services to the civilian population鈥.
Since then, Australia supported a UN resolution supporting Palestinians鈥 鈥減ermanent sovereignty鈥 over their natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza and, for the Syrians, in occupied Golan.
鈥淚t would follow that Australia could take firm action to protect UNWRA鈥檚 continued existence,鈥 JAO鈥48 said, and demanded that the Labor government puts 鈥渟evere pressure on Israel not to implement this legislation鈥.
[Jepke Goudsmit is a member of聽Jews against the Occupation 鈥48.]