NEW YORK, (PIC)
UNRWA has warned that Israeli attempts to end its mission “will be catastrophic,” massively weakening the humanitarian response and worsening Palestinian living conditions.
This came in press remarks made to reporters by UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini following a closed-door briefing to the UN Security Council on Friday.
Lazzarini addressed the reporters to stress that the agency’s disintegration would “immeasurably” worsen the already catastrophic living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza.
Lazzarini disputed the Israeli government’s claim that UNRWA’s services can be transferred to other entities.
“UNRWA’s ability to directly provide education and primary healthcare far exceeds that of any other entity,” Lazzarini said. “These services can only be transferred to a functioning state. UNRWA’s personnel and services are also tightly woven into the social fabric of Gaza. The disintegration of the agency will intensify the breakdown of social order.”
Lazzarini also warned that dismantling the 30,000-member UNRWA outside a political process would undermine the ceasefire agreement and sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition.
“A chaotic dismantling of UNRWA will irreversibly harm the lives and future of Palestinians,” Lazzarini said. “It will obliterate their trust in the international community and any solution it attempts to facilitate.”
The UNRWA chief said a ceasefire in Gaza must be followed by a political transition that includes an orderly conclusion of UNRWA’s General Assembly mandate and the handover of its services to empowered Palestinian institutions.
“In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority has stated clearly that it does not have the financial resources or capacity to compensate for the loss of UNRWA’s services,” he pointed out.
He welcomed the ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal in Gaza, and said he joined the UN Secretary-General in calling on all parties to ensure the deal is fully implemented.
“We need rapid, unhindered and uninterrupted humanitarian access to respond to the tremendous suffering in Gaza,” he said. “We are ready to support the recovery of Gaza by resuming education and continuing to provide primary healthcare.”