badil-submission-to-un-sr-on-food-june2024-1721218635

The Israeli Weaponization of Humanitarian Aid Amidst Genocide
Israel’s policy of forced displacement in the Gaza Strip – along with accompanying acts – is
an act of genocide which falls within Article 2(c) of the Genocide Convention. From the direct
targeting of displaced persons on designated “escape routes”, to the deliberate destruction
of homes and denial of adequate shelter, separation of families, and the infliction of deadly
health conditions, obstruction of humanitarian aid and starvation, the orchestrated actions
by Israel reveal a calculated aim to physically destroy Palestinians in Gaza. These are direct
conditions that can, in the long term, lead to death of those affected; in other words:
conditions of “slow death”.
Today, Palestinians in Gaza make up 80 percent of those facing famine or catastrophic starvation
globally, marking an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that is the direct result of Israel's
genocidal war, its campaign against UNRWA and third states’ complicity.
At the UN Security Council, various states have condemned Israel's use of starvation as a "method
of war," and UN experts have stated that “Israel must end its campaign of starvation and targeting
of civilians.”
In addition to the 17 year blockade and the “total siege” on the Gaza Strip, Israel has systematically
and deliberately targeted local, international and UN humanitarian organizations, facilities and
workers. Particularly, Israel has escalated its longstanding campaign against UNRWA, the most
capable and legitimate UN agency, which constitutes a lifeline to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
prior to and under the ongoing genocide.
With the intention to dismantle and replace UNRWA, Israel has destroyed 187 UNRWA facilities
and killed 193 staff members, while orchestrating a demonization campaign against the Agency.
While Israel still hasn't provided evidence of its allegations, its allies have deemed the most recent
UN review of UNRWA as “insufficient” and the United States, United Kingdom and Australia
continue to suspend the Agency’s funding and obstruct its work.
Instead of challenging Israel to open border crossings and facilitating the work of UN and
international agencies, states have chosen inefficient, ineffective and humiliating methods like air
drops and the construction of a maritime corridor. Not only are these methods incapable of meeting
the food needs of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, but more importantly, these approaches allow
Israel to manipulate aid distribution: by deliberately obstructing and bypassing UNRWA's well-
established and effective mechanisms. By controlling aid distribution, Israel seeks to dismantle
and replace UNRWA and weaponize aid to perpetuate starvation and genocide beyond a ceasefire.
Furthermore, an Israeli approved and controlled aid delivery entity would increase Palestinian
vulnerability and access to aid.
In the case of UNRWA, its reliance on voluntary funding makes it extremely vulnerable to political
pressure and this has led to chronic financial crises, the imposition of securitization policies and
the decline of services provided to Palestinian refugees. Today, UNRWA’s defunding by Israel’s
allies, and the obstruction of its services in the Gaza Strip is contributing to a large degree to the
genocide of Palestinians there.
According to UN experts: “At this existential time for millions of Palestinians in Gaza, who are
enduring famine coupled with unfathomable humanitarian conditions, UN operations and facilities
must be protected.” “It is imperative that once funding to UNRWA is reinstated to the fullest,
UNRWA be fully recognised and protected both as a subsidiary body of the United Nations
General Assembly, epitomising among others the permanent responsibility of the United Nations
toward the Question of Palestine, and for its pivotal role in many areas of life of Palestinian
refugees,” the experts said.
Recommendations to Prevent Politically-Induced Starvation and Weaponization of

Humanitarian Aid
UN humanitarian agencies, especially UNRWA, must be able to operate independently solely on

the basis of their mandates, free from state influence, especially in times of war and conflict.
According to the UN Charter and Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United
Nations, ensuring their protection and autonomy is crucial for maintaining impartiality and
effectiveness in delivering aid.
By safeguarding the independence of UNRWA and similar agencies, the international community
can ensure that humanitarian efforts are consistent, reliable, and focused solely on addressing the
rights and needs of protected populations, hence preventing the weaponization of humanitarian aid
and politically-induced starvation, especially in a catastrophic context such as the Israeli genocidal
war on the Gaza Strip.
Therefore, BADIL calls for the following international institutional changes to liberate UN and
international agencies from political manipulation (especially during crises irrespective of political
pressure and specific states’ political agendas, including those who cause or are part of the crisis):
● Obstruction of the operations and services of UN and international agencies by parties in a

conflict or during crises constitutes and must be considered an international crime.
● The failure of states to fulfill their obligations to facilitate and ensure the operations and
services of UN and international agencies should be considered a form of complicity in an
international crime.
● The funding mechanisms of UN agencies or organizations (including UNRWA) must be
through the UN not through bilateral relations/contracts with states. States must be required
to make obligatory contributions to the UN which will be responsible for redistributing the
funds as necessary. This will significantly decrease the political impact of states on the UN
and its agencies.
● The UN General Assembly must make UNRWA funding obligatory for all Member States,
integrating it into the main UN budget, ensuring that UNRWA's core budget is secure and
sustainable, so that it can fulfill its mandate without political interference or limitations.

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The Israeli Weaponization of Humanitarian Aid Amidst Genocide

Recommendations to Prevent Politically-Induced Starvation and Weaponization of

UN humanitarian agencies, especially UNRWA, must be able to operate independently solely on

● Obstruction of the operations and services of UN and international agencies by parties in a

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