UNRWA Commissioner-General Calls for Urgent Action to Support Palestine Refugees Amid Legislative Threats
UNRWA provides essential services such as education for over half a million children and primary healthcare in the absence of a recognized Palestinian state. During times of conflict, the agency also delivers humanitarian assistance to those in need. Nov 13, 2024 Photo: @UNLazzarini
November 13, 2024 Hour: 5:45 pm
Tragically, Lazzarini noted that UNRWA has suffered severe losses due to ongoing violence in Gaza, with at least 243 personnel killed and many others detained or tortured. Furthermore, more than two-thirds of UNRWA facilities have been damaged or destroyed.
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Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), addressed the UN General Assembly Fourth Committee today, highlighting a critical juncture for the agency and the millions of Palestine refugees it serves. He urged UN Member States to take immediate action to prevent the implementation of new Israeli legislation that threatens UNRWA’s operations.
Lazzarini emphasized that Israel’s recent legislative actions represent a direct challenge to international law, stating, “In open defiance of the United Nations Charter, General Assembly resolutions, Security Council mandates, and the binding orders of the International Court of Justice, the State of Israel is attempting to unilaterally alter the long-established parameters for resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict.”
The Israeli parliament passed a law last month that could effectively halt UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories within three months. Lazzarini warned that dismantling UNRWA would not eliminate the refugee status of Palestinians—an independent status—but would significantly jeopardize their livelihoods and futures. “The collapse of UNRWA would dismantle the UN’s humanitarian response framework, which heavily relies on the agency’s infrastructure,” he added.
Unique among UN agencies, UNRWA provides essential services such as education for over half a million children and primary healthcare in the absence of a recognized Palestinian state. During times of conflict, the agency also delivers humanitarian assistance to those in need.
Tragically, Lazzarini noted that UNRWA has suffered severe losses due to ongoing violence in Gaza, with at least 243 personnel killed and many others detained or tortured. Furthermore, more than two-thirds of UNRWA facilities have been damaged or destroyed.
In addition to the physical threats faced by the agency, Lazzarini highlighted a global disinformation campaign targeting UNRWA, fueled by intense lobbying from the Israeli government and affiliated groups aimed at influencing donor nations.
Lazzarini stressed that any transition of UNRWA’s responsibilities must occur within a broader political solution framework, advocating for an empowered Palestinian administration to take over its services.
He urged UN Member States to maintain their financial support for UNRWA and avoid withholding or diverting funds based on assumptions about the agency’s operational viability. “We must utilize all legal and political avenues available to uphold the international rules-based order,” he concluded.
Autor: MLM
Fuente: WAFA
