Staff working at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the occupied West Bank have been subjected to sustained harassment and obstruction by Israeli forces since the war on Gaza began five months ago, according to a report seen by The Guardian on Tuesday.
The report, an internal UNRWA document, recorded hundreds of incidents where staff were beaten at military checkpoints and the Israeli army used the agency’s facilities to launch violent raids on Palestinian refugee camps. This pattern of harassment and obstruction has raised serious concerns about the safety of UNRWA staff and the agency’s ability to carry out its humanitarian mandate.
In one particularly disturbing incident, two UNRWA staff were forcefully made to leave their marked UN vehicle at gunpoint at a checkpoint near Bethlehem. The vehicle was searched by Israeli officers who made “reference to the staff belonging to Hamas”. The staff members were then made to kneel down, blindfolded, handcuffed with cable ties, and beaten, before a senior officer intervened.
In another example of obstruction, a shipment of medicine earmarked for UNRWA health centres was held up by Israeli customs in Jordan for over two months. The shipment was only cleared on Sunday, hours after The Guardian contacted Israeli authorities. A customs spokesperson denied there had been a delay.
What is UNRWA?
The UNRWA, established in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war, provides services including schooling, primary healthcare, and humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. The agency employs thousands of Palestinians in its schools, healthcare centres, and other social programmes, providing much-needed employment opportunities to Palestinians living under Israeli occupation for the past seven decades.
The harassment and obstruction faced by UNRWA staff in the West Bank is a cause for serious concern. It not only endangers the lives of the agency’s staff but also hampers its ability to provide essential services to Palestinian refugees. The international community must take note of these incidents and take appropriate action to ensure the safety of UNRWA staff and the continuation of the agency’s vital work.
The Israeli authorities’ actions against UNRWA staff are part of a broader pattern of obstruction and harassment faced by humanitarian workers in the occupied Palestinian territories. These actions not only violate international law but also undermine efforts to provide essential services to Palestinian refugees.
As the war in Gaza continues, it is crucial that humanitarian agencies like UNRWA are able to carry out their work without obstruction or harassment. The international community must stand up for the rights of these workers and hold those responsible for these actions accountable.
The sustained harassment and obstruction faced by UNRWA staff in the West Bank is deeply concerning. It not only endangers the lives of these workers but also hampers the agency’s ability to provide essential services to Palestinian refugees. The international community must take note of these incidents and take appropriate action to ensure the safety of UNRWA staff and the continuation of the agency’s vital work.
