UNRWA Chief Says Israel Wants To End The Status Of Millions Of Palestinian Refugees

Head of UNRWA Philippe Lazzarini. (Twitter/@UNLazzarini)

JAKARTA - The head of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) warned on Wednesday that Israel's demand to shut down UNRWA was not motivated by humanitarian concerns, but to end the status of refugees of millions of Palestinians.

"They are trying to change the long-standing political parameters for peace in the Palestinian occupation region," said Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, at a meeting of the Secretary of the Security Council in New York. April 18th.

"The Israeli government is trying to end the agency's activities," he said.

Lazzarini further told the council Israel had banned the UN agency from providing assistance to Gaza.

"Our staff are prohibited from attending coordination meetings between Israel and humanitarian workers," he said.

He also said that UNRWA's buildings and staff had been targeted since the beginning of the war.

According to a recent UNRWA report released on Tuesday, 178 of its staff died during the war in Gaza and 163 health centers in the enclave were damaged, with only nine out of 24 health care centers still operating.

The report also said staff reportedly underwent mistreatment including beatings, threats of rape and electric shocks and forced naked.

Lazzarini said UNRWA was present because there was "no political solution".

Meanwhile, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stressed that Israel's attack on UNRWA was meant to "kill Palestinian refugee rights, turn off Palestinian issues and turn off discussions that there is an illegal and inhumane occupation that must end".

On the other hand, Israel's envoy to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said, in practice, UNRWA created a sea of Palestinian refugees, millions of whom were "indoctriated" for Israel to belong to them.

"And the ultimate goal is to use those referred to as refugees and their right to return, a right that does not exist, to overwhelm Israel and destroy the Jewish state," Erdan said.

"UNRWA is the world's largest supporter for one country's solution, a Palestinian country from river to sea," he continued.

The Israeli military said they acted in accordance with national and international law and those arrested were given access to proper food, water, medicines and clothing.

In January, Israel accused 12 UNRWA employees of being involved in the October 7 attack, although evidence supporting the claim has not yet been provided to the public.

The Guyana Ambassador to the United Nations! Rodrigues-Birkett expressed concern over the continuing campaign to discredit and dissolve UNRWA.

"It is unacceptable to make accusations without providing credible supporting evidence," said Rodrigues-Birkett.

Following allegations in January, UNRWA fired employees involved and the UN Internal Supervision Service Office launched an investigation.

The United Nations has also assigned an independent investigation led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to assess how UNRWA adheres to the principles of neutrality. The group is expected to present its findings on April 20.