Indonesia Condemns Israeli Parliament Bill: Systemic Attempts to Disband UNRWA Unacceptable

UNRWA service at the Palestinian refugee shelter. (Twitter/@UNRWA)

JAKARTA - Indonesia strongly opposes the systematic efforts to dissolve the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), affirming its full support for the agency.

The Israeli parliament on Monday gave initial approval to a bill declaring the UN's main aid organization for Palestine a terrorist organization, proposing to sever ties with the agency.

"Indonesia strongly condemns the initial approval of three bills by the Israeli parliament that designate UNRWA as a terrorist organization and seek to end UNRWA's activities in Palestine," the Indonesian Foreign Ministry tweeted on social media X, as quoted on Wednesday, July 24.

The approval of the bill is the latest step in Israel's efforts against the agency, which Israeli leaders accuse of collaborating with the Islamist Hamas movement in Gaza.

"Israel's systematic efforts to dissolve UNRWA are unacceptable and will deprive Palestinian refugees of their right to return and be repatriated to their homes," the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said.

"Indonesia affirms its full support for UNRWA and calls on the international community to stand firm in defending UNRWA's humanitarian mission in providing assistance for the survival of millions of Palestinians," the statement said.

The bill was approved in a first reading and will be returned to the foreign affairs and defense committee for further discussion, the Knesset information service said, as reported by Reuters.

"This is another attempt in a broader campaign to dissolve the agency," UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma said.

"Such steps are unheard of in the history of the United Nations," she said.

UNRWA has long had a strained relationship with Israel. It has deteriorated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza and Israel has repeatedly called for UNRWA to be dissolved.

"UNRWA must continue to carry out its mandate, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions," the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized.