Lebanon slams Israeli decision to classify UNRWA as terrorist organization

Lebanon's Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned the Israeli Knesset's decision to classify the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as a terrorist organization. 

"This decision targets the role of the agency, which represents the political and legal embodiment of the international community's commitment to resolving the refugee issue and their right to return to their land," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. 

"This decision is a new step in the context of Israel's repeated and continuous attempts to undermine the work of the agency and its role in supporting refugees and preserving their right to return within a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, depriving Palestinians of any hope for a better life and future," it affirmed. 

The ministry emphasized the necessity of supporting the continuity of UNRWA's work to preserve its role as defined in its founding resolution. 

"This support is essential for the agency to continue providing necessary services, especially in health and education, to Palestinian refugees as required, pending their return to their homes and the establishment of a viable and independent Palestinian state, based on relevant UN resolutions," it concluded.