UNRWA is a unique humanitarian agency. It is both a humanitarian relief provider for millions of Palestinians across several countries, and in many places, it functions as a de facto municipal government, providing services like schools, healthcare, and trash collection. Together, UNRWA provides a social safety net for 2.5 million people in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.

And now, all of that might end.

Earlier this week, the Knesset passed a bill that would effectively force UNRWA to cease operations in the Occupied Territories and Gaza. The bill establishes bureaucratic barriers that prevent the Israeli government from cooperating with UNRWA, effectively dismantling it by making it impossible for UNRWA to operate in the West Bank and East Jerusalem without Israeli consent. In Gaza, it technically could continue its operations, but practically, UNRWA would not be able to function. It would lack the ability to coordinate with the Israeli government to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian goods or interact with Israeli inspectors who vet all goods entering the Gaza Strip. UNRWA is the single most important humanitarian agency still operating in Gaza, and when this bill comes into force, it will simply be unable to function in that capacity.

On this special episode of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali Dayal and I take a deep dive into the implications of Israel’s decision to evict UNRWA. We discuss UNRWA’s unique history as a UN agency, its singular role in Palestinian life, and explain why a wildly diverse set of countries — from Cuba to the United States — has condemned Israel’s actions against UNRWA.

This episode is available exclusively to our paid supporters. Subscribe to unlock all our content, including every episode of our new UN podcast.

Substack makes it very easy to access these paid episodes on either Spotify, Apple Podcasts or directly in the Substack App. Once you get a paid subscription you’ll receive instructions. If you have any questions, just reach out

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.globaldispatches.org/subscribe

New Faces at the UN—and a Horse Fight at the General Assembly