The Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany published a joint statement on Friday condemning Israel’s implementation of legislation against UNRWA.
In their statement, the ministers said: “We, the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, reiterate our grave concern regarding the Government of Israel’s implementation of legislation forbidding any contact between Israeli state entities, officials, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); and prohibiting any UNRWA presence within Israel and east Jerusalem.”
The statement asserted that Israel has an international obligation to ensure humanitarian assistance and the provision of basic services to the civilian population of Gaza.
Use your international community, ministers urge
The ministers urged the Israeli government to work with international partners, including the UN, to abide by these commitments.
In their condemnation of Israel’s actions, the foreign ministers reiterated their support for UNRWA to provide essential services and assistance to Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. They claimed: “No other entity or UN Agency currently has the capacity or infrastructure to replace UNRWA’s mandate and experience.”
Although the statement supported UNRWA’s right to assist Palestinians in Gaza, it calls for a thorough investigation of any UNRWA staff involved in the October 7 massacre and asks UNRWA to demonstrate neutrality in its actions.
The statement also praised the notable increase in humanitarian assistance reaching Gaza since the ceasefire began and called on all parties to ensure its continuity.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
