UNRWA issue tops agenda for faith-based parliamentarians in Israel

• Published date: 13 March 2024
• Author: VERONICA NEIFAKH/THE MEDIA LINE
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

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The conference brought together parliamentarians from various parts of the world, including South Sudan, Brazil, Sweden, Croatia, Finland, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Romania, Wales, and others, who came to Israel to show solidarity during these times.

Delegation members met key Israeli politicians, witnessed the aftermath of the October 7 attacks in Kfar Aza, received a security briefing in the West Bank, and signed a resolution that condemns Iran for its role as a sponsor of terrorism.

Josh Reinstein, president of the Israel Allies Foundation and director of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, told The Media Line that the conference has an important educational mission.

"We brought them here in the largest delegation of political leaders since October 7, not just to stand in solidarity with Israel, but to learn what's happening here so they can return to their governments educated about the issues and share their insights," Reinstein explained. He continued that the most important thing is that parliamentarians can see what happened for themselves.

He said that the representatives of the countries at the conference are unique in that they are people of faith. "It is what we call faith-based diplomacy when people take their biblical support and turn it into real political action," he told The Media Line.

One of the notable attendees, Emanuelis Zingeris, the only Jewish member of the Lithuanian Parliament and the head of the Lithuanian delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, shared his appreciation of the excellent relationship between Israel and his homeland.

"We have excellent relations between Lithuania and Israel," he told The Media Line. I can only recommend Israel to pursue broader politics, not only to be focused on the answer to terror groups like Hamas but also to be together with us fighting the Russian invasion against Ukraine and being on the general line of a democratic state."

UNRWA is among most discussed issues

UNRWA became one of the biggest points discussed at the conference, with the largest delegations of parliamentarians that came to learn about the massacre on October 7. UNRWA, the United Nations agency that provides Palestinian refugees with welfare and humanitarian services, is under investigation. Israel has accused several of its members of participating in Hamas' October 7 onslaught on Israel, resulting in 1,200 casualties and 253 hostages.

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