Skyggekrigen mot UNRWA etter 7. oktober 2023

The document analyzes Israel's systematic effort to delegitimize and dismantle UNRWA through a 'shadow war' involving physical attacks, legal prohibitions, and an information campaign. It argues that Israel uses accusations of terrorism and antisemitism—specifically targeting school textbooks—as a proxy to undermine the agency's existence and, by extension, the Palestinian right of return. The authors detail the severe humanitarian impact of these actions in Gaza and the West Bank, noting that the culmination of this process was the passage of laws in October 2024 to ban UNRWA's operations in Israel and the occupied territories.

• Israel has conducted a 'shadow war' against UNRWA that includes direct physical attacks, political and economic pressure, and an information campaign to damage the agency's reputation.
• In October 2024, the Knesset passed two laws intended to dismantle UNRWA: one banning its operation in Israel and another restricting its activities in occupied areas by prohibiting Israeli authorities from contacting the agency.
• The physical toll on UNRWA personnel and infrastructure is unprecedented, with over 247 employees killed and nearly 600 Palestinians killed while seeking shelter in UNRWA schools.
• Israel uses accusations of terrorism and antisemitism as a 'securitization' strategy to bypass legal and political constraints and justify the removal of UNRWA.
• Palestinian school textbooks have served as a proxy for delegitimizing UNRWA, with the pro-Israeli organization Impact-se providing the majority of accusations regarding hate speech and violence.
• The underlying motivation for dismantling UNRWA is the desire to eliminate the international recognition of the Palestinian right of return.
• UNRWA maintains strict neutrality mechanisms, including a 'Neutrality Review' of textbooks, but faces immense pressure from both Israel and Hamas, the latter of which has accused UNRWA of collaborating too closely with Israel.

APA

Berg, K. G., & Jensehaugen, J. (n.d.). Skyggekrigen mot UNRWA etter 7. oktober 2023. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/319295d4-9e1b-48b6-859b-df6e9fa0ea60/skyggekrig_unrwa.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Berg, Kjersti G., and Jørgen Jensehaugen. Skyggekrigen mot UNRWA etter 7. oktober 2023. Peace Research Institute Oslo, n.d. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/319295d4-9e1b-48b6-859b-df6e9fa0ea60/skyggekrig_unrwa.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Berg |first1=Kjersti G. |last2=Jensehaugen |first2=Jørgen |title=Skyggekrigen mot UNRWA etter 7. oktober 2023 |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/319295d4-9e1b-48b6-859b-df6e9fa0ea60/skyggekrig_unrwa.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bergndskyggekrigen, author = {Berg, Kjersti G. and Jensehaugen, Jørgen}, title = {{Skyggekrigen mot UNRWA etter 7. oktober 2023}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/319295d4-9e1b-48b6-859b-df6e9fa0ea60/skyggekrig_unrwa.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }