MOSCOW. Oct 31 (Interfax) - Moscow is calling on Israel not to bring into force the bills adopted by the country's parliament banning the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), saying it contradicts the conditions for acceptance of Israel in the UN.
"The adoption of these bills not only violates the norms of international law, including decisions of the UN General Assembly and the UN Charter, but also contradicts the conditions of Israel's acceptance in the UN. Simultaneously, the threat arises of cessation of vitally needed assistance to millions of Palestinians on the occupied territory, their deprivation of the last means of subsistence amid unprecedented escalation of violence," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a release issued on Thursday.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Russia supports the calls of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Israel "to observe its obligations under international law to repeal or not to bring into force the said bills."
Israel's Knesset on October 28 approved a package of two bills banning UNRWA activities and revoking the immunities and privileges of this UN agency. The reason was Israel's information that UNRWA employees were involved in the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
However, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that "the Israeli side has not provided any evidence supporting its accusations yet, despite a whole number of UN inquiries." "An independent examination and an internal inspection of the work of the Agency did not reveal violations and confirmed observance of the principle of neutrality," the release said.
The release says bring into force these bills "will become another form of collective punishment for millions of Palestinians, for whom UNRWA was and remains essentially the only source of comprehensive support in the spheres of humanitarian assistance, education, healthcare and social services, for which there are no alternatives."
"These decisions were made amid unprecedented bloodshed in the Arab-Israeli conflict zone. As a result of the Israeli military operation, the Gaza Strip turned into a total action zone with the most intensive bombardment of civilian population since the Second World War and de facto non-existent humanitarian access over the past year," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.