Israel cuts ties with UN aid agency supporting Palestinians
Israel cut ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Thursday after accusing it of providing cover for Hamas militants, a move likely to hamper its vital services after 15 months of war in Gaza.
The agency, UNRWA, is banned from operating on Israeli soil, and contact between it and Israeli officials will also be forbidden.
UNRWA has provided support for Palestinian refugees around the Middle East for more than 70 years, but has long clashed with Israeli officials, who have repeatedly accused it of undermining the country's security.
The hostility intensified following Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, with accusations that UNRWA employees took part in the assault.
After the law came into effect, the Norwegian government said Thursday it would contribute $24 million to the UN agency.
"Gaza is in ruins, and UNRWA's help is more necessary than ever," Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said.
Turkey condemned the Israeli move as "a blatant violation of international law" and said the step "marks a new........
© Al Monitor
