Ireland Has Condemned The New Israeli Aid Laws
Image via www.aljazeera.com
Ireland Has Condemned The New Israeli Aid Laws
Text: Izzy Copestake
Israel is banning dozens of major essential aid organisations from working in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Ireland has joined Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Slovenia and Spain in condemning the new and highly controversial Israeli aid laws, which target a United Nations aid organisation. As part of these new ‘Aid Laws’, Israel is banning dozens of major essential aid organisations from working in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Israel has stated that these organisations fail to meet new registration requirements.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs has said that this action by Israel violates international law, undermines the UN mandate and is “risking grave humanitarian consequences for the Palestinian civilian population and refugees”. Specifically, the Department has said that Israel plans to “cut water, electricity and communications” to UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees soon.
Ireland has called on Israel to allow established international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to be “permitted to operate in Gaza and that any deregistrations be halted”, stressing that NGOs “constitute a significant part of all humanitarian and especially health services in Gaza and the West Bank” and are essential “to confront the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in Gaza and beyond. The statement concludes: “Respect for the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and for international humanitarian law is imperative.”
Ireland and the other 6 countries called on Israel to allow NGOs to be “permitted to operate in Gaza and that any deregistrations be halted”, stressing that NGOs “constitute a significant part of all humanitarian and especially health services in Gaza and the West Bank” and are essential “to confront the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in Gaza and beyond. The statement concludes: “Respect for the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and for international humanitarian law is imperative.”
The legislation, passed by the Knesset, the Israeli parliament on December 29th, was swiftly condemned by UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, who described it as “inconsistent with the status and international legal framework applicable to Unrwa” and called for it to be “immediately repealed”. Israel says the rules are aimed at preventing Hamas and other militant groups from infiltrating the aid organisations.
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