UNRWA faces heightened challenges in Palestinian refugee needs
By Ray Hanania
Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner -General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), told the UN General Assembly Monday the agency is being falsely accused of committing “a breach of the (UN) Charter and international law” and warned the future of the Palestinians is in jeopardy.
Lazzarini said that UNRWA, created to provide aid to Palestinian refugees forced from their homes by Israeli violence in 1948 and again in 1967, is under siege and asked the UN, it’s parent organization for protection.
He told the General Assembly that UNRWA and its employees have become the targets of violence and demonization, and the agency is in desperate need of support.
“Two hundred and twenty-two UNRWA staff have been killed. Two thirds of our building have been damaged and destroyed, killing hundreds of people seeking United Nation protection,” Lazzarini said.
“Legislative efforts are on the way to evict UNRWA from East Jerusalem, remove its privileges and immunities and designate it as a terrorist organization. Failing to push back against violation of international law and failing to push back against effort to intimidate and undermine the United Nation sets a dangerous precedent. It’ll compromise the future of our humanitarian work and the rule of law.”
Lazzarini said the challenges facing Palestinian refugees and UNRWA undermine the UN’s “decades long investment in the future of Palestinian refugees” and has put UNRWA “at risk.”
He denounced the “blatant disregard for international law in Gaza,” and told the UN General Assembly (UNGA79) this should be alarming to all members.
“The scale of human suffering is immense and our ability to response is severely constrained,” Lazzarini reported.”
Escalating violence in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and the rapid escalation of conflict into Lebanon, puts UNRWA’s mission and the lives of homeless refugees in jeopardy, he argued.
“Excellencies, the international response to the war in Gaza. escalating violence in the West Bank and the speed over of conflict into Lebanon and across the region is highly concerning. International law is implemented selectively or not at all, reinforcing perception of inequality and injustice. Demonization is ramped in public discussion,” Lazzarini reported during the afternoon session of the UN General Assembly’s reports from its various agencies.
“Our decades long investment in the future of Palestinian refugees is at risk. Excellencies. The blatant disregard for international I law in Gaza should alarm us all. The scale of human suffering is immense and our ability to response is severely constrained.”
Lazzarini warned that in addition, Israel’s ramped-up demonization of UNRWA as an alleged terrorist organization, and the selective application of international law which hypocritically slams the Arab World but excuses Israel’s violence, has reinforced inequality and injustice for the refugees.
Since 1948, UNRWA has provided human development services for generations of Palestine refugees in the occupied Palestine territories, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan providing education and health services to the refugee population that has grown in the face of the failure to resolve the 76-year-long Israel-Palestine conflict.
Lazzarini spoke during the UN’s “Summit of the Future” session Monday evening, a session intended to address upcoming challenges facing various the UN’s various agencies.
Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter who has lived in Orland Park since 1986. He writes for many suburban newspapers including The Regional News. For more information on this and other topics visit his website at hanania.com, to get information on subscribing to his columns and video podcasts below. email him at [email protected].
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