An accusation has been made against the Biden-Harris envoy of exerting pressure on Israeli lawmakers to abandon a bill prohibiting a UN agency with links to terrorism.

The bill to sever ties with UNRWA is facing opposition from Israeli lawmakers due to U.S. pressure.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jacob Lew has requested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leaders, including Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid and Avigdor Lieberman, stop the proposed laws.

The current legislation aims to sever all ties between UNRWA and the Jewish state, including the issuance of diplomatic visas to UNRWA staff and other services offered by Israel.

Yulia Malinovsky, a Knesset member from the Yisrael Beiteinu party and one of the authors of the legislation, stated that there is a distinction between dialogue and pressure regarding the alleged interference from the ambassador.

According to her statement to Planet Chronicle Digital, UNRWA is a terrorist organization, and Hamas is an integral part of it. As a result, its existence perpetuates the conflict.

Half of UNRWA employees are affiliated with Hamas, and the first weapons found in UNRWA were in 2014, during the October 7 Massacre. This agency is perpetuating the status of refugees to benefit its workers.

The Biden administration has sent a letter to Israeli leaders, demanding that Israel improve the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza within 30 days or risk losing the supply of U.S. weapons. In the letter, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin emphasized that passing the law against UNRWA would be detrimental to the humanitarian effort in Gaza at a critical time and would prevent education and welfare services for tens of thousands of Palestinians in Jerusalem.

They emphasized this could also constitute a violation of U.S. laws.

The State Department does not comment on private diplomatic conversations, including those made by the U.S. ambassador to Israeli politicians, as a matter of policy, a spokesperson told Planet Chronicle Digital.

The U.S. halted funding for UNRWA on Oct. 7 due to the involvement of its personnel in "reprehensible" activities, calling for those responsible to be held accountable and for UNRWA to implement reforms to address concerns about its facilities and personnel being linked to terrorist activities.

"They added that UNRWA offers essential services in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Jordan, such as humanitarian aid, healthcare, and sanitation. However, pending legislation would prevent UNRWA from operating, leaving a void that Israel would be responsible for filling. This would exacerbate the existing humanitarian crisis and threaten stability and security for Israel and the region."

At the U.N. Security Council this month, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed the Biden Administration's worries about a proposed Israeli legislation that may affect UNRWA's legal status, impeding its communication with Israeli officials, and revoking the privileges and immunities granted to U.N. organizations and personnel worldwide.

Since the war began in Gaza, nearly 2 million people have been displaced and the concerns have been mounting, with criticism coming from various countries and the United Nations, which has accused Israel of causing a humanitarian crisis in the region.

Yair Lapid, the opposition leader in Israel, stated in a Planet Chronicle Digital interview that UNRWA played an active role in the brutal massacre on October 7. He accused the organization of launching terrorist attacks against Israel, holding hostages, and raping young women from its institutions.

Since 2013, Lapid has maintained his stance in favor of UNRWA's closure, despite facing diplomatic pressure.

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, stated his position on the issue raised by the U.S. ambassador, saying, "We received messages, but I remain firm. This law is crucial for Israel's security and will be presented."

He reiterated that the law aims to disconnect Israel from an organization linked to terrorism, and fully supported his party member's initiative.

The Knesset is still discussing the proposed law, according to Prime Minister Netanyahu's office.

In a Knesset discussion last week, the Israeli Shin Bet declared that UNRWA poses a risk to Israel's security.

Jonathan Conricus, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a retired lieutenant colonel from the IDF, stated, "As an Israeli, I cannot fathom Israel's policy or absence thereof towards UNRWA. Politicians and diplomats frequently express concerns regarding why they contribute funds to UNRWA, permit staff to be deployed and grant diplomatic protection. This Israeli legislation represents the minimum necessary standard."

"In order to achieve a better reality in the Middle East, UNRWA must be dismantled entirely from Gaza and all other areas of operation."

Yonatan Samerano's parents stated that they have been under pressure from the U.S. government to oppose a bill by Yulia Malinovsky, Dan Illouz, and Yoav Bismuth to expel UNRWA from Israel.

Kobi and Eilat Samerano's statement continued, urging all government members to pass a law in the Knesset immediately. If they fail to do so, they will be considered complicit in the kidnapping of their son, Yonatan Samerano, who was abducted by a UNRWA employee. Over 100 UNRWA employees took part in the massacre on that fateful day, and their surrender to diplomatic pressure makes them accomplices to the massacre.

Some Israeli government members have expressed hesitance about passing the legislation, labeling it "extreme" and suggesting it be delayed until after the upcoming U.S. elections, despite support from different political parties.