UNRWA is banned by the Israeli Government.

Omissions

• The ban was enacted through Knesset legislation rather than by executive decree alone; the Israeli government supported and implements the laws.
• The ban is geographically limited to Israeli sovereign territory (including East Jerusalem) and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, not a universal ban on UNRWA as an organization.
• The laws took effect on 30 January 2025, roughly 16 months before the MEP's statement on 19 May 2026.
• The UN General Assembly requested an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of the ban; ICJ hearings were ongoing as of April 2025.

Sources

• SecondaryUN NewsOn Monday, Israel's parliament, the Knesset, voted in favour of legislation targeting the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA. The laws ban UNRWA from operating in Israeli territory and prohibit Israeli authorities from having any contact with the agency.
• SecondaryUnited Nations PalestineIsrael's new laws banning UNRWA already taking effect. 30 January 2025. Israel's ban is unprecedented. Never before has a UN Member State banned the operations of a UN-mandated agency on its territory.
• SecondaryIsrael Policy ForumLaw 1: Ban on UNRWA Operations Within Israeli Territory. Passed with a 92-10 vote, this law prohibits UNRWA from operating in Israeli territory. Law 2: Prohibition on Contact Between Israeli Officials and UNRWA. This law bans any contact between Israeli state authorities and UNRWA representatives.
• SecondaryThe GuardianHearings over bar on cooperation with Palestinian aid agency are test of Israel's defiance of international law. The ICJ has opened hearings to gauge the legality of Israel's ban on UNRWA.