Letter To The President Of The UN General Assembly Regarding Israel's Call, Lazzarini: They Are Trying To Eliminate The Role Of UNRWA

UNRWA Commissioner Philippe Lazzarini when he met Palestinian refugees in southern Gaza. (Wikimedia Commons/UNRWA/Mohamed Hinnawi)

JAKARTA - UNRWA (UN agency for Palestinian refugees) Commissioner Philippe Lazzarini said on Thursday he was concerned the situation in the Gaza Strip was on a "major disaster mine" that could have a significant impact on peace, security and human rights in the region.

Lazzarini said in a letter to the President of the UN General Assembly that the Palestinian aid agency had reached its peak after Israel repeatedly called for the dissolution of the institution, as well as the suspension of funds by donors at a time when there was an "unprecedented humanitarian need for Gaza".

He said calls made on Thursday by the Israeli government regarding the closure of UNRWA were not about the agency's neutrality, but about "changing the long-term political parameters for peace" set by the world body in the Palestinian occupation region.

"They are trying to eliminate UNRWA's role in protecting the rights of Palestinian refugees and being witnesses to their continued suffering," said Lazzarini, as reported by The National News on February 23.

Furthermore, he appealed to the UN General Assembly to return human rights and international law to the center of multilateral action, "starting with the worsening disaster situation in Gaza in recent weeks".

Lazzarini said Israeli authorities had made joint efforts to mislead UNRWA with Hamas and were also trying to interfere with the agency's operations.

This includes a request by the Israeli Land Authority to UNRWA to leave the Zealand Vocational Training Center in East Jerusalem, a center given to the agency by Jordan in 1952 and pay a fee to use it, which exceeds $4.5 million.

Earlier, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced plans to cancel the benefits of UNRWA's tax exemptions, customs officials have stopped shipping UNRWA materials, with an Israeli bank having frozen its accounts.

"In the short term, the dissolution of UNRWA will weaken UN efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and exacerbate the crisis in the West Bank, leaving more than half a million children out of education and deepening hatred and despair," said Lazzarini.

Meanwhile, former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who led UNRWA's review on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, told reporters in New York her team began working on February 13 and had sent a letter to Israeli and Palestinian officials a few days ago asking for a meeting, calling it absolutely necessary.

He also said that he plans to meet as many countries as possible, especially UNRWA donor countries.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced this month that Colonna will lead the review, which will be conducted by three independent research organizations.

It is known that Lazzarini has asked for an independent review of the agency, following Israel's allegations of 12 of its 13,000 staff in Gaza participating in the Hamas-led attack on October 7 in southern Israel.

As a result of Israel's accusations, more than 16 countries suspended aid to UNRWA over the allegations.

As previously reported, a US intelligence report found that Israel's claims regarding the presence of UN aid agency staff for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza involved in the Hamas militant group attack could not be independently verified.

The US National Intelligence Council said in a report last week it was "not sure" they "don't believe" staff at the UN agency took part in violence in southern Israel on October 7, citing The National News of The Wall Street Journal.

The "low trust" conclusion means the US intelligence community believes Israel's claims may make sense, but American agencies cannot independently confirm the claims.