An Israeli proposal affecting UNRWA.. This is what the Guardian newspaper revealed

The Guardian newspaper revealed that Israel submitted to the United Nations a proposal to dismantle the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Palestinian territories, and transfer its employees to an alternative agency to deliver large quantities of food to Gaza.

According to the British newspaper, sources familiar with the discussions said that the proposal was presented by the Israeli Chief of General Staff, Herzi Halevi, late last week, to United Nations officials in Israel, who referred it to the Secretary-General of the Organization, Antonio Guterres, last Saturday.

Israel insists it is prepared to allow large amounts of aid into Gaza and that the limiting factor is UN capacity.

Under the terms presented last week, between 300 and 400 UNRWA staff will initially be transferred either to another UN agency, such as the World Food Programme, or to a new organization created specifically to distribute food aid in Gaza.

Some UN officials see the Israeli plan as an attempt to portray the UN as unwilling to cooperate to stop any famine in Gaza, which humanitarian organizations have warned is imminent and would be disastrous.

The International Court of Justice, which is examining genocide charges against Israel, on Thursday ordered the Israeli government to take “all necessary and effective measures” to ensure the widespread delivery of aid to Gaza “in full cooperation with the United Nations.”

According to The Guardian, some within the United Nations, other relief agencies and human rights groups see the Israeli proposal as the culmination of a long Israeli campaign to destroy UNRWA.

Guterres’ office and the Israeli military did not respond to requests for comment.

Israel says that up to 11 percent of UNRWA employees belong to Hamas or Islamic Jihad, and that up to 30 of them participated in the October 7 attack on Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed. (Sky News)