The United Nations Commissioner stresses the commitment of “UNRWA” to implement its mandate despite the challenges – the seventh day

The Commissioner -General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), Philip Lazarini, affirmed today, Tuesday, the commitment of UNRWA to implement its mandate despite the challenges, in light of the increasing political pressures and the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Lazarini also stressed, in his intervention in front of the official missions of countries in the United Nations in Geneva, according to the Palestinian News Agency “Wafa”, the importance of continued international support for UNRWA to ensure the provision of basic services to Palestinian refugees in various areas of its work.

He pointed to the prevention of the occupation to enter humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip ten days ago, which restored the situation to what it was on October 8, 2023, stressing that this decision threatens the lives of civilians who have suffered for more than 16 months of the ongoing war.

He said, “The ceasefire has proven the possibility of humanitarian aid, as it has increased by ten times from the start of a ceasefire until the second of March,” stressing the need to allow the entry of aid to maintain the progress achieved in the first stage of the ceasefire and meet the basic needs of the population.

Lazarini highlighted the deterioration of the situation in the West Bank as a result of the six -week Israeli aggression, especially in the northern West Bank, pointing to the policies of emptying the occupation of several camps and the displacement of about 40,000 Palestinian refugees, which is the biggest displacement of the Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967.

He also expressed concern about the large -scale demolitions that included residential areas, leaving the population without shelter to return to it, adding that “UNRWA” continues to track the displaced and provide humanitarian aid, including food, health care and basic needs.

He said that the agency in Syria continues to provide health and educational services, which are vital for the survival of Palestinian refugees, and in Lebanon Palestinian refugees depend on its services.

Lazarini stressed that the Israeli Knesset decisions not only target UNRWA, but also include any individual or organization calling for adhering to international humanitarian law or defending the rights of the Palestinians, explaining that many international NGOs are targeted and the goal is to silence them.

He pointed to the increasing efforts in Israel to restrict the work of international organizations through legislative measures, noting that “UNRWA” has faced serious operational challenges since the enforcement of the anti -legislation into effect in January, and that the agency is subject to increasing pressure from the municipality of the occupation in Jerusalem to evacuate its headquarters and end the provision of its services in occupied East Jerusalem, and the occupation refused to renew the visas of the international employees of the agency from West Bank.

In Gaza, some international “UNRWA” teams still exist, but Israel refuses to facilitate its entry or exit through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing, which increases the complexity of the agency’s operations in the Strip.

Lazarini reviewed some of the achievements of the agency since the start of the ceasefire in Gaza, including: providing food aid to about two million people, opening approximately 40 new emergency shelters, providing more than 60 thousand tents to accommodate the displaced, supporting a polio vaccination campaign, benefited about 200 thousand children under the age They are now studying through a digital platform, while the agency in the West Bank continues to provide education for about 50 thousand children, in addition to providing health services to hundreds of thousands of refugees.

Lazarini warned of the danger of the continuous misleading campaign that depicts “UNRWA” as a terrorist organization and accuses its employees of supporting terrorism, and stressed that facing these allegations requires a neutral press audit based on the facts and official sources, noting that the absence of international media independent from Gaza since October 2023 has exacerbated this misleading campaign.

He stressed that the financial situation of UNRWA is very critical, and that the urgent need for additional financial support to ensure the continuation of the agency’s operations, stressing that the continuation of “UNRWA” is no longer a traditional option, as decisive decisions must be made about its future.

Larazini presented two major scenarios: the first is the agency’s collapse as a result of the campaign of misinformation and Israeli legislation and the cessation of financing from donor countries, which will create a dangerous void in the occupied Palestinian land and will have shocking repercussions, and the second is the support of UNRWA to continue to provide its services gradually until a comprehensive political solution is reached.

He pointed out that the dismantling of “UNRWA” will not end the issue of Palestinian refugees, urging countries to continue its support, stressing that the role of the agency is to continue to provide services and deliver humanitarian aid.

In turn, the permanent observer of the State of Palestine in Geneva, Ibrahim Khuraishi, stressed the pivotal role that UNRWA plays in supporting Palestinian refugees, indicating that it is not just a relief agency, but part of the history of the Palestinian people.

Khuraishi criticized the failure of the international community to compel Israel to respect the Geneva Conventions, especially Article 4 related to the protection of civilians, and to ensure the arrival of humanitarian aid, explaining that despite the efforts made, the international community was unable to hold a meeting of the states of the high parties of the Geneva Conventions to impose legal obligations on the occupation.

He praised the Norwegian role in referring the issue of the responsibilities of the state of occupation before the International Court of Justice regarding Israel’s violation of international law when the United Nations, international humanitarian organizations and countries prevent humanitarian aid to the Palestinians under occupation.

He stressed the need to confirm and protect UN Resolution 194, which provides for the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, noting that Israeli policies aim to cancel this right and impose a new reality on the ground.

The meeting was attended by representatives of dozens of countries and international organizations, who expressed their support for UNRWA and their rejection of Israeli attempts to undermine its work, stressing that the agency plays a fundamental role in providing services to millions of Palestinian refugees.

The speakers unanimously agreed that the continued obstruction of the arrival of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, and demanded that Israel respect its obligations, noting that the stopping or weakening of UNRWA financing would lead to a dangerous human vacuum and increase instability in the region.

Several countries, including Germany, Canada, China, Russia and France, stressed the importance of ensuring the sustainability of “UNRWA” financing, as many countries announced additional financial contributions such as Singapore, while others stressed the need to intensify diplomatic pressures on Israel to stop its violations, and some countries expressed concern about the media misinformation campaigns targeting the agency.

The participants also agreed that the UNRWA agency continues to support until a fair and comprehensive political solution to the Palestinian issue is reached.

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