Biden-Harris envoy accused of pressuring Israeli lawmakers to drop bill banning terror-linked UN agency

As nan Israeli Knesset prepares to statement authorities aimed astatine severing ties pinch nan United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees successful nan Near East (UNRWA), U.S. unit connected Israeli lawmakers is said to beryllium mounting against nan bill. 

Fox News Digital has learned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and guidance leaders, including Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid and Avigdor Lieberman, person received requests from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jacob Lew to halt nan projected laws.

The existent authorities seeks to extremity each relations betwixt UNRWA and nan Jewish state, including negotiated visas granted to UNRWA workers and different services provided by nan State of Israel. 

"There is simply a quality betwixt speech and pressure," Yulia Malinovsky said astir nan alleged interference from nan ambassador. Malinovsky is simply a Knesset personnel from nan Yisrael Beiteinu statement and 1 of nan authors of nan legislation.

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The UNRWA logo connected nan vest of an worker during a sojourn to nan Jabal El Hussein exile campy of UNRWA, portion of a negotiated ngo to Israel and nan Palestinian territories, successful Amman, Jordan, May 15, 2024.  (Dirk Waem/Belga Mag/AFP via Getty Images)

She told Fox News Digital, "UNRWA is simply a violent organization, and Hamas is an integral portion of it. Its beingness perpetuates nan conflict." 

She expressed committedness to ensuring nan authorities moves forward, claiming, "Around half of UNRWA labor are affiliated pinch Hamas, and nan first weapons recovered successful UNRWA were backmost successful 2014. They were involved successful nan October 7 Massacre. This agency is portion of nan problem perpetuating nan position of refugees to use its workers."

The Biden management sent a missive to Israeli leaders past week demanding that Israel return steps wrong 30 days to amended nan dire humanitarian conditions successful Gaza aliases consequence nan proviso of U.S. weapons to Israel, according to a transcript of nan missive published by Axios. In nan letter, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stressed that passing nan rule against UNRWA would beryllium devastating for nan humanitarian effort successful nan Gaza Strip astatine a captious clip and would forestall acquisition and use services for tens of thousands of Palestinians successful Jerusalem. 

They emphasized this could besides represent a violation of U.S. laws.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jacob Lew speaks astatine nan motorboat ceremonial of an inter-parliamentary relationship group betwixt nan Knesset and nan American House of Representatives to fortify U.S.-Israel ties held successful Israel's Knesset. (Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS)

"As a matter of policy, we do not remark connected backstage negotiated conversations," a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital regarding telephone calls said to person been made by nan U.S. ambassador to Israeli politicians.

However, nan spokesperson noted nan engagement of UNRWA unit connected Oct. 7 was "reprehensible," starring nan U.S. to halt funding and "calling for those progressive to beryllium held accountable and for UNRWA reforms to reside superior concerns astir its accommodation and unit being progressive successful violent activities. 

MORE COUNTRIES CUT FUNDING TO UN AGENCY AFTER STAFFERS ACCUSED OF PARTICIPATING IN OCT. 7 HAMAS ATTACK

"At nan aforesaid time," they added, "UNRWA provides captious services successful Gaza, nan West Bank, Lebanon and Jordan — including humanitarian assistance, wellness benefits and sanitation. Pending authorities would make it intolerable for UNRWA to run and would time off a vacuum that Israel would past beryllium responsible for filling. Adding to nan humanitarian situation that already exists would undermine stableness and information for Israel and nan region."

Earlier this period astatine nan U.N. Security Council, U.S. Ambassador to nan world assemblage Linda Thomas-Greenfield made clear nan Biden Administration's concerns complete nan pending legislation, telling assembly members that, "We are pursuing pinch heavy interest nan Israeli legislative connection that could change UNRWA’s ineligible status, hindering its expertise to pass pinch Israeli officials, and removing privileges and immunities afforded to U.N. organizations and unit astir nan globe."

The quiet enclosure of nan Israeli Knesset successful Israel June 27, 2022.  (Ilia Yefimovich/picture confederation via Getty Images)

These concerns travel mounting disapproval from various countries and the United Nations, which has blamed Israel for a dire humanitarian situation successful Gaza, wherever astir 2 cardinal group person been displaced since nan warfare began.

Despite U.S. pressure, guidance leader Yair Lapid said successful a connection to Fox News Digital, "UNRWA played an progressive domiciled successful nan sadistic massacre connected October 7. From its institutions, violent attacks against Israel were launched, hostages were held, and young women were raped." 

Lapid has supported nan closure of UNRWA since 2013, maintaining his position amid negotiated pressure.

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Avigdor Lieberman, caput of nan Yisrael Beiteinu party, besides made his stance clear aft nan rumor was brought up by nan U.S. ambassador, telling Fox News Digital, "Messages were received, but I firmly refuse. This rule is captious for Israel’s security, and it will beryllium brought forward."

He expressed afloat support for his statement member's initiative, reiterating that nan rule intends to disconnect Israel from an statement linked to terrorism.

A U.N. conveyance enters nan UNRWA offices successful Jerusalem April 2, 2024. (Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS)

Prime Minister Netanyahu's agency told Fox News Digital it was confirmed that "the projected rule has not been taken disconnected nan array and is being discussed successful nan Knesset."

The Israeli Shin Bet, Israel's information agency, stated successful a chat past week successful nan Knesset that "UNRWA is simply a threat to Israel's nationalist security." 

Jonathan Conricus, a elder chap astatine nan Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a retired lieutenant colonel from nan IDF, said, "As an Israeli, I neglect to comprehend Israel's argumentation aliases deficiency thereof towards nan organization. Legislators and diplomats raise concerns astir why they donate money to UNRWA, let unit to beryllium sent and assistance negotiated protection. This Israeli authorities is nan bare minimum required.

"Eventually, for a amended reality successful nan Middle East, UNRWA needs to beryllium dismantled successful its entirety from Gaza and each different places of activity."

Yonatan Samerano, 21, was taken hostage and killed by Hamas terrorists aft nan Oct. 7, 2023, massacre successful Israel. His assemblage is still being held by Hamas successful Gaza. (Bring Them Home Now)

The parents of Yonatan Samerano, whose son's assemblage is being held successful Gaza by Hamas terrorists said successful a statement, "In caller days, location has been unit from nan U.S. connected members of nan authorities to reason nan measure by Yulia Malinovsky, Dan Illouz and Yoav Bismuth to expel UNRWA from Israel." 

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The connection from Kobi and Eilat Samerano continued. "We telephone connected each authorities members to urgently walk nan rule successful nan Knesset. Otherwise, you are complicit successful nan kidnapping of our son, Yonatan Samerano, who was abducted by a UNRWA employee. Over a 100 UNRWA labor participated successful nan massacre connected that cursed day, and your surrender to negotiated unit makes you accomplices to nan massacre."

Although supporters of nan authorities are from different governmental parties, immoderate members of nan Israeli authorities person expressed hesitance astir passing nan legislation, labeling it "extreme" and suggesting it beryllium delayed until aft nan upcoming U.S. elections.