An Open Letter to Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters

Dear Minister Peters,

The Council for International Development and signatory members to this open letter are compelled to express our profound concern regarding the recent decision by the Israeli Knesset to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from operating within Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

This ban will effectively dismantle the continuation of critical humanitarian services for more than 2 million Palestinian people clinging to life by a thread In Gaza. The brutal bombardment by Israel has displaced an entire nation of Palestinians from their homes and destroyed almost all infrastructure and essential services. UNWRA continues to be a critical lifeline for Palestinians trapped in this humanitarian catastrophe.

For more than seven decades, UNRWA has played a crucial stabilising role in the region, delivering essential services in healthcare, education, and relief to millions of Palestinian people in their occupied homeland and registered Palestinian refugees in neighbouring countries. Its operations go beyond direct service provision; UNRWA serves as a cornerstone for the humanitarian sector, underpinning the efforts of many organisations, including members of the Council for International Development.

By maintaining vital logistical, infrastructural, and coordination support, UNRWA enables NGOs to address urgent needs in a highly complex and extremely insecure environment. The Knesset’s decision to ban UNRWA severely jeopardises our collective capacity to deliver humanitarian aid and development support to Palestinian communities at a time when it is needed the most.

New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to upholding humanitarian principles and supporting international law. As organisations dedicated to these values, we believe that this decision calls for immediate and bold diplomatic action.

We urge you to stand against the decision of the Israeli Knesset to ban UNWRA given that decision will mean an increase in the deaths of Palestinians already in the grip of extreme suffering. Specifically, we request that New Zealand support diplomatic measures aimed at reversing the Knesset’s decision, thereby ensuring that vital humanitarian assistance continues without obstruction and that NGOs and UN bodies can maintain their life- saving work.

We acknowledge the actions New Zealand has already taken in response to the brutal war in Gaza. We appreciate your attention to this urgent humanitarian matter and are confident that New Zealand’s leadership will once again affirm its commitment to human rights, stability, and justice in the region.

Given the urgency of the situation and the direct impact this decision will have on life-saving humanitarian responses in Gaza, we request information on how New Zealand will address Israel’s intention to ban UNWRA.

Thank you for considering this appeal.

Ngā mihi nui

Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading international development & humanitarian aid agencies and partners

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