Israel’s law on UNRWA “blow to international law”: Slovenian FM

LJUBLJANA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) — Slovenia’s Foreign Ministry is profoundly concerned over the recent adoption of a law by Israel which hinders the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) across the Gaza strip, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
“This law, which obstructs UNRWA’s vital operations, represents a blank cheque for exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This is a serious blow to international law and the UN Charter,” Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said in the same statement.
“We therefore renew our call for Israel to honour the UN Charter and adhere to Security Council and General Assembly resolutions to ensure the uninterrupted fulfilment of the UNRWA’s mandate,” Fajon added.
She noted that international humanitarian law includes permitting the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid in adequate quantities and ensuring the protection of humanitarian personnel.
“UNRWA is a lifeline for generations of refugees,” Fajon said on her social media account X on Monday night.
Slovenia has over the past year increased its financial contributions to UNRWA, allocating 2.55 million euros (2.76 million U.S. dollars) to the agency since October 2023.
In July, Slovenia, along with Jordan and Kuwait, launched the initiative of shared commitments to UNRWA, which has since been endorsed by 123 countries.
UNRWA was established by a UN General Assembly in 1949, but the Israeli parliament on Monday passed a law prohibiting the agency from operating in Israel.
The law stipulates that UNRWA will not operate any representation, provide services, or conduct any activities, directly or indirectly, within Israeli territory. ■