Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

Condemnatory

Yes

Analysis

• This resolution perpetuates the longstanding anomaly whereby Palestinians are the only population not served by UNHCR, but instead by a separate UN agency. It advances a one-sided narrative that condemns Israeli actions while remaining silent on Palestinian terrorism against Israelis and abuses by Palestinian forces against their own population, including the use of civilians as human shields.
• The resolution disregards UNRWA’s own admission that members of Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, were on its payroll, as well as extensive evidence of UNRWA’s deep institutional ties to Hamas and the exploitation of UNRWA facilities by Hamas for military operations.
• It exclusively attributes responsibility to Israel for the deaths of UNRWA employees, without acknowledging their involvement in Hamas terrorism or Hamas’s military use of UNRWA facilities.
• It further supports the politicized New York Declaration, effectively rewarding Palestinian's with state recognition in the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 terrorist attack.
• Finally, the resolution affirms the October 22, 2025 ICJ advisory opinion asserting that Israel is “obligated” to cooperate with UNRWA, while failing to address the agency’s documented links to Hamas, and castigates Israel over its legislation against the agency.

Main Sponsors

Indonesia, South Africa

Vote

Yes - 145, No - 10, Abstain - 18, Absent - 20

See Full Vote

Key Praise

None

Key Criticism

• "Expressing grave concern at the especially dire situation of the Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem..."
• "Expressing grave concern also at the catastrophic humanitarian situation of the Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip as a result of military attacks, severe restrictions on humanitarian access, mass forced displacement, spread of acute malnutrition and famine..."
• "Expressing grave concern further about the extremely difficult socioeconomic conditions being faced by the Palestine refugees in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as a result of the recurrent Israeli military operations, settler violence, severe movement restrictions, the construction of settlements and the wall, evictions, and the demolition of homes and livelihood properties causing forced transfers of civilians."
• "Condemning the killing, injury and detention contrary to international law of Agency staff..."
• "Deploring the endangerment of the safety of the Agency’s staff and the unprecedented high number of casualties inflicted on Agency personnel in the Gaza Strip by military attacks..."
• "Strongly warns against any attempts to dismantle or diminish the operations and mandate of the Agency..."
• "Deplores the legislation adopted by the Israeli Knesset on 28 October 2024 and enacted as of January 2025, and calls upon the Israeli Government to abide by its international obligations..."
• "Condemns the killing and injury of Agency personnel, including over 300 staff members among at least 565 humanitarian workers killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since October 2023."
• "Also demands that Israel respect the mandate of the Agency and its privileges and immunities and act forthwith to enable its operations to proceed without impediment or restriction in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem."
• "Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to comply fully with the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949."
• "Calls upon Israel to abide by Articles 100, 104 and 105 of the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations in all aspects and to ensure the safety of the personnel of the Agency..."