Muscat – Oman has condemned and categorically rejected Israel’s decision to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) stating that it undermines the humanitarian tasks entrusted to the latter in occupied Palestinian territories.

In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, Oman appreciated the role of UNRWA in providing assistance to more than 2mn Palestinian refugees.

The sultanate cautioned against the dire consequences of excluding the agency and reiterated its plea to the international community to intervene immediately to protect the rights of the Palestinian people, notably their right to self-determination.

Israel’s parliament voted on Monday to ban the UN relief agency from the country within 90 days. In a 92-10 vote, the Knesset banned the agency, which operates in Israel based on a 1967 treaty, conducting ‘any activity’ and providing any service inside the country, including the areas of annexed East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank.

Israeli lawmakers also voted to declare UNRWA a terror group, effectively banning any direct interaction between the UN agency and the Israeli state.

Riyad Mansour, Palestinian envoy to the UN, told the Security Council on Tuesday that the Knesset’s legislation to ban UNRWA “constitutes a new level in this war against the UN and an integral part of an all-out assault on the Palestinian people”.

UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini called the vote by Israeli lawmakers a “dangerous precedent”.

On Wednesday, the UN Security Council ‘strongly warned against any attempts to dismantle or diminish’ the operations and mandate of UNRWA. In a statement adopted by consensus, the 15-member body expressed grave concern over the Israeli decision.

The council ‘urged the Israeli Government to abide by its international obligations, respect the privileges and immunities of UNRWA and live up to its responsibility to allow and facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance in all its forms into and throughout the entire Gaza Strip’.