US backs Israel’s decision to shut down UNRWA

The US said it supports Israel’s “sovereign” decision to shut down the offices of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in occupied East Jerusalem on January 30. Israel told the UN Security Council it would cut all contact with UNRWA within 48 hours and enforce the closure of the agency’s offices in areas that it considers to be under its control. Israel has called for UNRWA’s responsibilities to be transferred to other agencies. “UNRWA is exaggerating the effects of the laws and suggesting that they will force the entire humanitarian response to halt is irresponsible and dangerous,” Dorothy Shea, US deputy representative to the UN, told the Security Council.