The Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, expressed Israel's opinion on the idea of UNHCR replacing UNRWA, the UN agency exclusively dealing with Palestinian refugees in the Middle East. Chikli, who is part of Likud, Benjamin Netanyahu's party, defended the laws passed by the Parliament to veto UNRWA, calling it part of the problem and not the solution.
Chikli emphasized that the UN already has an agency responsible for assisting refugees worldwide and argued that the uniqueness of the Palestinian refugee status only serves to perpetuate the conflict, as the number of people under its care continues to rise. This stance reflects the sentiment of a large part of Israeli society, as evidenced by the massive support for the laws passed to prohibit UNRWA's activities in Israel.
Despite the explanations given, Israel continues to maintain that "UNRWA is Hamas," and Chikli stated that the agency is part of the Palestinian DNA that rejects the legitimacy of a Jewish state. Meanwhile, the UN insists that there is no alternative to UNRWA, even though Israeli authorities are determined to proceed with the decision to prevent the agency's operation.
UNRWA provides direct services in various locations, while UNHCR offers temporary assistance to integrate people fleeing violence in host countries. Despite pressures and requests, Israel plans to implement the laws against UNRWA, hoping that other countries, like the United States, will follow suit. Although Washington has asked Israel to postpone such laws, they have only rejected resuming funding for the agency, leading to the suspension of American contributions under law until 2025.
