photo: un.org
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Affairs (UNRWA) is facing an unprecedented attack: the Israeli parliament may expel it from occupied East Jerusalem and declare it a terrorist organisation. Antonia de Meo, UNRWA's deputy commissioner-general, warned UN Security Council members of this on Friday and urged them to act swiftly.
The suffering of the people of Gaza
For almost ten months now, Palestinians and Israelis have endured untold suffering. "More than two million people in Gaza remain trapped in an endless nightmare of death and destruction of staggering proportions. They experience fear, thirst, hunger, disease, live in inhumane conditions, without basic sanitation and are forced to flee their homes constantly," fromDe Meo stressed. "It's a relentless and often hour-long battle they wage day in and day out."
The risk of famine persists, including in southern Gaza, infections are spreading and 625 000 deeply traumatised children are out of school. By 7 October, half of them were attending UNRWA schools. Because this war began shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, an entire generation of girls and boys may be left without formal education.
UNRWA staff under attack
The speaker noted that the Security Council had already adopted several resolutions demanding a ceasefire, the release of all hostages and more humanitarian aid, but they had had little impact on the situation in Gaza.
Everyone is suffering, including UN agency staff, 199 of whom have been killed, many with family members. 190 buildings belonging to UNRWA have been destroyed or damaged.
Attempts to abolish UNRWA
"Concerted efforts to dismantle UNRWA are not letting up," the spokeswoman continued. She said many UN staff and NGO workers had been denied visas to enter Israel.
UNRWA exists because there is no political solution. It exists because there is no Palestinian state that can provide public services in its place.
The visa of UNRWA Commissioner-General Filippo Grandi expired more than a month ago and has not yet been renewed. "False information and misinformation about UNRWA is being spread on social media, which in some cases can be categorized as incitement to violence. This puts all our colleagues, especially those in the occupied Palestinian territory, at serious risk," said the rapporteur.
Earlier this week, on 22 July, the Israeli parliament passed the first reading of three bills concerning UNRWA: one to ban UNRWA's activities in occupied East Jerusalem, one to revoke the privileges and immunities granted to UNRWA by the UN since 1949, and one to declare UNRWA a terrorist organisation. These bills must pass their second and third readings in the Knesset to become law.
The UN's global mandate is under threat
"If these bills are passed, which could happen as early as next week, the consequences will be dire and immediate: they will directly threaten the status of all UNRWA staff and the mandate of the General Assembly. And while UNRWA will face the consequences today, make no mistake: the entire UN system around the world will feel the consequences tomorrow. We must not allow this to become the new standard for future humanitarian operations in conflict zones around the world." Antonia de Meo stressed.
Neutrality of UNRWA
She noted that UNRWA has often been accused of bias, especially after reports that several of its staff have been involved in of the "abominable" the October 7 attacks on Israel. "If confirmed, this would be a terrible betrayal of Palestinian refugees and UNRWA by these employees," the rapporteur stressed, adding that the investigation was ongoing.
She recalled that an independent review was published in April, whose authors praised UNRWA and stated that the agency maintains its neutral status.
UNRWA Protection Challenges
It called on the members of the Security Council to work together to fight attempts to abolish the Agency. "UNRWA is under attack because of its role in protecting the rights of Palestinian refugees and because it embodies the international community's commitment to a just and lasting political solution," stressed the rapporteur. "UNRWA exists because there is no political solution. It exists because there is no Palestinian state that can provide public services in its place."
It also called on the Council to continue to seek a ceasefire, protect UNRWA's mandate and promote a peaceful solution to the seven-decade-old Middle East conflict. "The longer the war in Gaza continues, the further we move away from a peaceful solution that would unite Palestinians and Israelis, recognize our common humanity, heal them and teach them to live side by side in peace and security. This solution must also ultimately end the plight of Palestinian refugees," Antonia de Meo summarised.
un.org/gnews.cz-roz_07
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