UN to Israel: "Replace UNRWA is now your responsibility"
UN General Assembly passes resolution stating that Israel must now provide services and aid to Palestinian refugees
The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution stating that Israel must now provide services and aid to Palestinian refugees.
The resolution, which was passed by a vote of 122 to 10, with 44 abstentions, calls on Israel to "assume full responsibility" for the well-being of Palestinian refugees, who have been living in refugee camps in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip since 1948.
The resolution also calls on Israel to "provide compensation" to Palestinian refugees for the loss of their homes and property.
The resolution is not binding, but it sends a strong message to Israel that the international community expects it to take responsibility for the well-being of Palestinian refugees.
The resolution is also a blow to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which has been providing services and aid to Palestinian refugees since 1949.
The United States, Israel, and several other countries have accused UNRWA of bias against Israel, and the United States has cut funding to the agency.
The resolution calls on the United Nations to "take all necessary measures" to ensure that the Palestinian refugees receive the services and aid they need.
It is unclear how Israel will respond to the resolution, but it is likely to further strain relations between Israel and the United Nations.
Background
The Palestinian refugee issue is one of the most complex and intractable issues in the Middle East conflict.
There are an estimated 5 million Palestinian refugees, who have been living in refugee camps in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip since 1948, when they were expelled from their homes by Israeli forces.
For decades, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has been providing services and aid to Palestinian refugees.
However, in recent years, UNRWA has been facing financial difficulties, and the United States has cut funding to the agency.
The resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly is a response to these developments.
Implications
The resolution has several implications:
- It sends a strong message to Israel that the international community expects it to take responsibility for the well-being of Palestinian refugees.
- It is a blow to UNRWA, which has been providing services and aid to Palestinian refugees since 1949.
- It is likely to further strain relations between Israel and the United Nations.
It is unclear how Israel will respond to the resolution, but it is likely to further strain relations between Israel and the United Nations.
