US and UK urge Israel's Knesset not to ban Unrwa

The US and UK have urged Israel's parliament not to pass a bill that would ban the UN Palestinian refugee agency, Unrwa from working in occupied East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza. 

The bill would make it illegal for Israeli officials to work with Unrwa, effectively shuttering its operations. 

British Foreign Minister David Lammy on Monday expressed London's "profound regret" the bill.

"It's a matter of profound regret that the Israeli parliament is considering shutting down UNRWA's operations," Lammy told British MPs in parliament.

The US also urged Israel's Knesset not to pass the bill.