Addressing the General Assembly, UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said the agency is essential to the stability and reconstruction of the destroyed Gaza Strip – and the region as a whole.
He stressed that a “virulent” disinformation campaign has tarnished his reputation and strangled his funds.
“Reduction or termination of UNRWA services will have serious consequences for the region“, warned Mr. Lazzarini. “In Gaza, this would compromise stabilization and recovery, compromising the political path forward. “
Protecting yourself against radicalization
UNRWA has operated since 1950 and provides basic services, protection and humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
Check out our UN News explanation here on the agency following the Israeli Knesset’s decision to ban UNRWA last year.
In 2024, the agency provided emergency food assistance to approximately 1.9 million Palestinians in Gaza. It also provides 40 percent of all primary health care and provides in-person learning for more than 50,000 children.
“We have succeeded in educating generations of Palestinians who are successful global citizens, enriching communities in the region and beyond, in Europe and North America,” said Mr. Lazzarini.
Speaking later to reporters in New York, he added that “If rubble and trauma become the new learning environment, there is indeed a risk that these children will be exploited in the future and join armed groups or become radicalized..”
Fears of instability due to declining funding
The agency has come under scrutiny following Israeli allegations that UNRWA personnel were involved in the October 7 attacks, and the United States, traditionally the agency’s largest donor, cut off all funding in 2023.
The Palestine Task Force raised concerns with the General Assembly about the agency’s massive underfunding and its potential destabilizing impact on the broader region, saying “it is imperative that UNRWA, as an indispensable agency, continues to receive the support necessary to resolve its financial crisis and help alleviate the catastrophic situation in Gaza.”
Ambassador Feda Abdelhady, deputy permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, called the agency “indispensable and irreplaceable.”
“We urge all States to remain steadfast and principled in their support of UNRWA, duly recognizing its vital role. »
Publicado anteriormente en Almouwatin.
