Turkey says Israel’s decision to ban UNRWA violates international law: report

Turkey’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that Israel’s decision to ban the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from operating inside the country was a clear violation of international law, aiming to prevent displaced Palestinians from returning home, Reuters reported.

Israel’s parliament passed a law on Monday banning UNRWA from operating within Israel, raising alarms among some of Israel’s Western allies who fear this decision will worsen the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the move sought to disrupt efforts toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding that UNRWA provided vital assistance to Palestinians.

“It is the legal and moral obligation of the international community to take a strong stance against attempts to ban UNRWA, which was established by a U.N. General Assembly resolution,” the ministry said, adding, “As the Chair of the Working Group on the Financing of UNRWA, Türkiye will continue to provide political and financial support to the agency.”

Turkey has been fiercely critical of Israel’s offensives in Gaza and Lebanon. It has applied to join a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and called for an end to Western support for Israel along with international measures to stop its assaults.

However, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government are accused of hypocrisy due to Turkey’s continuing trade with Israel despite the harsh rhetoric.

Although the Turkish government announced a halt in exports to Israel in May after a public outcry over Israel’s military actions in Gaza, data released by the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) show a near cessation of direct exports to Israel but trade with Palestine surging to unprecedented levels, raising questions about whether goods are being rerouted to Israel.