The Turkish Foreign Ministry has issued a strong condemnation of the Israeli Parliament's efforts to designate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as a terrorist organization.

The ministry described this move as a new phase in Israel's attempts to undermine the Palestinian people and their identity.

In a press release, the ministry highlighted that UNRWA, established by the UN General Assembly in 1949, plays a crucial role in providing essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees and symbolizes their right to return to their homeland. The Turkish Foreign Ministry criticized Israel's attempt to discredit UNRWA as an effort to strip Palestinian refugees of their fundamental rights.

The ministry also denounced Israel's actions against UNRWA, noting that Israel has targeted civilians in UNRWA schools in Gaza and killed nearly 200 UN staff members over the past nine months. The ministry deemed it unacceptable for Israel to label UNRWA as a terrorist organization given these actions.

Türkiye reaffirmed its strong support for UNRWA and called on the international community to oppose attacks on the agency and to provide support for its critical work. (ILKHA)