In less than one week, Israel’s ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) will come into effect, marking a critical moment for Palestinian refugees. A new report from the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) outlines the on-the-ground consequences of this unprecedented policy shift.
The Israeli parliament passed the controversial legislation in October 2024, prohibiting UNRWA from operating within Israeli-controlled territories, including East-Jerusalem. The 28 January implementation deadline looms large, threatening to disrupt essential services for millions of Palestinian refugees who depend on UNRWA for education, healthcare and food assistance.