The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee unanimously approved legislation designating the UN Relief and Works Agency a “terror organization” on Tuesday. The bill now heads to the Knesset plenum for its first reading.
In addition to designating the agency as a terror organization, the legislation would also strip UNRWA of its diplomatic immunity, tax-exempt status, and other legal benefits.
“UNRWA’s crimes on October 7 and the agency’s cooperation over the years with the terrorist organizations are unforgivable. There is no other way to define them except as a terrorist organization and they must be immediately removed from the law,” said MK Yulia Malinovsky, who initiated the legislation.
“An organization whose employees, social workers, doctors and teachers during the day are terrorists at night is a terrorist organization for all intents and purposes,” the Yisrael Beiteinu lawmaker added.