The “United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees,” known as UNRWA, represents one aspect of the UN’s acknowledgment of the right of return of the Palestinians. This right extends to their descendants, allowing them to retain the designation of “Palestinian” as long as they are descended from refugees expelled from their homeland due to “Israeli“ occupation.

Despite Palestinian reservations about many of UNRWA’s policies, which have sometimes included the dismissal of numerous Palestinian staff, particularly teachers in UNRWA schools who sought to educate refugee children about their legitimate rights, UNRWA has contributed since its establishment in 1949, to providing aid and support to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians under harsh conditions in the occupied territories and refugee camps.

But this window has been exposed to serious threats for several years, with rising voices in the U.S. and the Usurping Entity calling for the agency’s dismantling, warning of dire consequences for millions of Palestinians and exacerbating their suffering. The primary objective of this attack appears to be the elimination of the right of return.

On Monday, the “Israeli“ Knesset officially approved, in its second and third readings, a law banning the activities of UNRWA in the occupied territories, despite international warnings about the dangers of this legislation, which violates international agreements and laws.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated, “Implementing a law that prohibits the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees from operating in “Israel“ could have devastating consequences for Palestinian refugees in the occupied Palestinian territories, and this is unacceptable.”

Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, remarked that “the vote by the “Israeli“ entity against UNRWA this evening is unprecedented and constitutes a dangerous precedent,” noting that it contradicts the UN Charter and violates “Israel’s“obligations under international law.

In a post on the platform “X” following the Knesset’s vote, Lazzarini stated, “This legislation is the latest in an ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimize its role in providing humanitarian and developmental assistance to Palestinian refugees.”

The new “Israeli“ law aims to prevent any UNRWA activities in the occupied territories, stipulating that UNRWA will not have the right to operate any representative offices, provide any services, nor engage in any activities, directly or indirectly, in the occupied territories. The law cancels the 1967 agreement that permitted UNRWA to operate, effectively halting the agency’s activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

It is noteworthy that UNRWA was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in 1949 and was mandated to provide assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operation: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.