British News Agency

UNRWA West Bank Director Friedrich said that humanitarian services have been “cut off,” adding: “In recent days, public utility providers have been cutting electricity and water one by one to UNRWA schools, health centers and other service points across occupied East Jerusalem.”

Friedrich said these steps are being taken against the backdrop of anti-UNRWA laws amended by the Israeli parliament in late last month, which force service providers to suspend services to UNRWA, and continued:

“The amendments push these laws a step further. These cutoffs represent an attempt to deliberately weaponize basic needs in Israel’s — a UN member state’s — attacks against UNRWA; the price is paid by Palestinian refugees’ access to vital services and their fundamental rights. These steps aim to end our long-standing presence in East Jerusalem, which predates the Israeli occupation.”