Russia warns that banning UNRWA puts the entire region at risk and undermines the principles of cooperation

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MADRID 29 Oct. () –

Russia’s representative to the United Nations, Vasili Nebenzia, warned this Tuesday that Israel’s decision to ban the work of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) puts the entire region at risk and represents a “serious precedent” against international cooperation.

Completely stopping the agency’s activities “will have very negative consequences for both the region and the global system as a whole,” in addition to “undermining the foundations of international multilateral cooperation,” Nebenzia warned before the United Nations Security Council. United, reports the TASS agency.

In that sense, he regretted that this “serious precedent” is occurring “before the eyes” of the entire global community despite the fact that said agency “has been the backbone of the UN humanitarian body in the region” and “a structure unique in the protection of Palestinian rights and assistance.

Nebenzia also remembered the more than 300 UNRWA workers who have died under attacks by Israeli forces, who have targeted agency centers on several occasions. “This is the largest loss in the history of the organization since its founding in 1949.”

The bill approved the day before by the Knesset prohibits the agency from operating both in Israel and in the occupied Palestinian territories by revoking a 1967 text that served as the basis for its activities. In March, Israel accused a significant number of UNRWA workers of being part of “terrorist groups,” which led about fifteen countries to freeze funds, suddenly depriving it of $450 million and calling into question the continuity of its operations. its operations.