Qatar has condemned the Israeli authorities’ attempt to classify the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) as a “terrorist organization,” stripping it of its diplomatic immunity and criminalizing its activities. Qatar considered this move as an extension of the systematic targeting campaign aimed at dismantling the agency at a time when there is an increasing need for its humanitarian services due to the catastrophic consequences of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
The statement was issued by the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, according to the Qatar News Agency (QNA).
In its statement, the ministry reiterated Qatar’s call for the international community to stand firmly against Israeli plans aimed at liquidating the agency and depriving millions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon of its essential services.
The ministry affirmed Qatar’s full support for UNRWA, based on its steadfast and supportive stance for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to establish an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
A bill presented to the Israeli Knesset (parliament) passed its first reading last Wednesday, proposing the classification of UNRWA as a “terrorist organization” with a majority of 42 votes to 6.
