Israel / Palestinian Territories
Laws passed by the Israeli Parliament banning UNRWA’s activities in Israel (October 29, 2024)

France deeply regrets the Israeli Parliament’s adoption of two laws that would ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from operating in Israel.

The implementation of these laws would have severe consequences for the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories, depriving hundreds of thousands of civilians of essential aid, including shelter, healthcare, education and food. For more than 70 years, UNRWA has been playing a vital, indispensable role in providing essential goods and services to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, but also in the countries that have taken them in – Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

France reaffirms its support for UNRWA and will continue to ensure the implementation of the necessary reforms to guarantee its neutrality, specifically the recommendations contained in the Colonna Report. We also reaffirm our support for all the UN agencies working on the ground to help the Palestinian population.

Q&A

Do you have any comment on Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s upcoming visit to Paris?

Mr. Smotrich is visiting Paris in a private capacity. No government meetings are planned on that occasion. We have repeatedly condemned the irresponsible, unacceptable remarks he made during his last trip to France for a similar event.

What is France’s reaction to the stepped-up North Korean military presence in Russia?

On October 28, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs summoned North Korea’s representative following reports of the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia. That would represent a new escalation in North Korea’s support for Russia’s war of aggression and a direct threat to European and international security.