Friday, November 1, 2024 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM EDT - Online
Israel's UNRWA Ban: What It Means for Gaza, the UN, and the World
On Monday, despite warnings by the international community against such a step, Israel’s Knesset voted overwhelmingly to adopt two laws that effectively ban the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), the UN agency that has served the needs of Palestinian refugees since 1949, from operating in Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories (West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem). Since Israel’s war on Gaza began more than a year ago, UNRWA has been the primary provider of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to Gaza, where 2 million people face catastrophic humanitarian conditions, including mass starvation and disease. Numerous governments from across the world, including the Biden administration, have warned that ending UNRWA operations would have far-reaching and disastrous humanitarian consequences, particularly in Gaza.
To address the background to and implications of Israel’s UNRWA ban — for Palestinians, the wider region, and UN/humanitarian interventions worldwide — the Middle East Institute (MEI) and Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) are pleased to invite you to join a virtual panel discussion.
Speakers:
Roland Friedrich, Director of Affairs, West Bank, UNRWA
Mona Jebril, Research Fellow, University of Cambridge
Alexander Smith, Former Senior Advisor, USAID
Khaled Elgindy (Moderator), Senior Fellow, Director of Program on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs, Middle East Institute
Lara Friedman (Moderator), President, Foundation for Middle East Peace