Israel’s Energy Minister to Directly Oversee UNRWA Water, Power Shutdown
The minister, Eli Cohen, said he was traveling to East Jerusalem to observe the disconnection of utilities at facilities run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, according to reports.
Cohen accused the agency of functioning as an entity that “serves as an arm of Hamas,” an allegation the organization has repeatedly rejected.
The move follows decisions taken by Israel’s parliament, which at the end of 2025 approved cutting off water and electricity to UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem. This came after an earlier decision at the end of 2024 to prohibit the agency from operating in the occupied city and within Israel.
UNRWA was created in 1949 following a vote by the UN General Assembly and is tasked with delivering aid and protection to Palestinian refugees across five regions: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
In separate comments, Cohen, who also sits on Israel’s Security Cabinet, argued that any potential agreement between the United States and Iran would fail to produce lasting results. He characterized such a deal as “no more than a temporary pause” that would only hold until US President Donald Trump leaves office in 2028.
Israel has urged Washington to expand negotiations with Tehran beyond nuclear issues to include Iran’s missile program and its backing of regional groups.
Tensions between the US and Iran have intensified since anti-government protests erupted in Iran in late December, driven by deteriorating economic conditions. Trump has warned of possible military action against Tehran amid the standoff.
Iran, for its part, has accused Washington of exploiting sanctions, political pressure, and internal unrest as justification for foreign interference aimed at regime change, warning that it would deliver a “comprehensive and unprecedented” response if attacked.
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