The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Dannon, wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday, urging the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees to halt its operations in Israel by January 30, 2025.
The letter, obtained by Anadolu, states that the agency must stop its activities in Jerusalem and evacuate all its premises in the city by the end of the month.
Danny Dannon wrote, “UNRWA is required to cease its operations in Jerusalem, and evacuate all premises in which it operates in the city, no later than 30 January 2025.”
The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, voted in October to prohibit UNRWA’s operations in Israeli-controlled territories, citing allegations that the agency’s employees were involved in the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023—a claim that UNRWA has denied.
If the ban is enforced, it would lead to the closure of UNRWA offices and the freezing of its financial accounts in Israel, effectively ceasing its operations.
The chief of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, has emphasized the agency’s essential role in Gaza’s humanitarian response.
“Preventing UNRWA from operating might sabotage the Gaza ceasefire, failing once again hopes of people who have gone through unspeakable suffering,” he said.
UNRWA, founded in 1949, has been a vital source of support for Palestinian refugees, assisting nearly 5.9 million individuals across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
