It cannot be in Israel’s interest to restrict UN aid agency in Gaza, says Lammy

It “cannot be” successful Israel’s involvement to instrumentality blocks connected the lone assistance organisation inactive operating successful Gaza, contempt the country’s parliament tabling authorities to bash so, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said.

Mr Lammy said Israel could walk 2 Bills that would efficaciously sever ties with the UN bureau liable for distributing aid, but that “we indispensable clasp retired that the Israeli authorities does not instrumentality this legislation”.

Israel’s parliament volition ballot connected 2 Bills that would portion UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) of ineligible immunities and restrict its quality to enactment Palestinians successful eastbound Jerusalem and the West Bank.

More than 1.9 cardinal Palestinians are displaced from their homes and Gaza faces wide shortages of food, h2o and medicine.

Israel accuses UNRWA of turning a unsighted oculus to Hamas militants it claims person infiltrated its staff, including a tiny fig of its 13,000 employees successful Gaza who took portion successful the October 7 2023 onslaught connected confederate Israel.

During a connection connected the Middle East, Mr Lammy told MPs it is “a substance of profound regret” that the Israeli parliament is considering shutting down UNRWA’s operations, adding that allegations against the organisation’s unit were “fully investigated and connection nary jurisdiction for cutting disconnected ties”.

He said: “This play we truthful joined partners successful expressing concerns astatine the Knesset’s authorities and urged Israel to guarantee UNRWA’s lifesaving enactment continues.”

Conservative erstwhile curate Kit Malthouse asked the Foreign Secretary if determination would beryllium “any effect whatsoever for the Israeli government”, if they proceed to artifact assistance to Palestinian civilians.

He said: “If arsenic everybody expects, the Israeli authorities ignores the pleadings of the Foreign Secretary and our allies and proceeds with the dismantling of UNRWA, making their occupation impossible, what volition helium bash next?”

Mr Lammy replied: “When I raised this contented with overseas curate (Israel) Katz yesterday, helium was astatine pains to explicate to maine that whilst parliament could walk this Bill today, the Knesset could walk this Bill contiguous successful Israel, it did not mean it had to beryllium implemented.

“And truthful I deliberation we indispensable clasp retired that the Israeli authorities does not instrumentality this authorities due to the fact that it’s not successful their interests.

“It cannot beryllium successful their interests for the lone assistance organisation, not conscionable providing wellness care, but besides schools for young people, and of course, moving not conscionable successful Gaza but besides successful the occupied territories.

“It simply cannot beryllium successful their interests to bash this, due to the fact that they would person to past supply that themselves.”

Asked by Labour MP Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow West) if the Government would “consider superior sanctions against those who are proponents” of further reducing the travel of aid, Mr Lammy said: “Yes, the information is if UNRWA is brought to its knees, that would beryllium a very, precise superior lawsuit indeed.”

Labour MP for Sheffield South East, Clive Betts, said the Israeli authorities “ignores requests to halt the demolition of Gaza,” arsenic helium besides called connected Mr Lammy to authorisation Israeli ministers who ballot successful favour of blocking UNRWA.

He said: “If the Israeli authorities really carries retired restrictions connected UNRWA successful a formalised way, that members of the authorities who hold to that should besides beryllium sanctioned for that?

“Otherwise, aren’t we conscionable issuing bare threats and bare words that the Israelis ignore?”

Mr Lammy said helium “condemned successful nary uncertain terms” the “vile connection that’s been utilized by extremist elements wrong the Israeli government”, adding that sanctions stay nether review.

He went connected to accidental that the usage of the connection “genocide” successful narration to the warfare successful Gaza risks undermining genocides specified arsenic the Holocaust.

Conservative MP Nick Timothy (West Suffolk) said:  “There is evidently overmuch suffering successful Gaza, and we each judge that, but this terminology is wholly inappropriate.”

Mr Lammy said: “I bash hold with (Mr Timothy) those presumption were mostly utilized erstwhile millions of radical mislaid their lives successful crises similar Rwanda, the Second World War successful the Holocaust, and the mode that they are utilized present undermines the seriousness of that term.”

Earlier successful the league the Foreign Secretary confirmed that UK troops were not progressive successful assisting Israel’s retaliatory strikes connected Iran.

On Monday Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Lebanese premier curate Najib Mikati to Downing Street for a bilateral meeting.

They shook hands extracurricular Number 10 arsenic the Prime Minister offered Mr Mikati his “condolences for the precise galore losses successful your country”.

Mr Mikati thanked Sir Keir for calling for a ceasefire successful the portion and for Britain’s enactment connected humanitarian matters.