UN chief warns UNRWA’s work and mandate in jeopardy

UN chief Antonio Guterres has warned that the work and mandate of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) are in jeopardy due to ongoing Israeli actions. Speaking at an annual ministerial meeting, Guterres highlighted that UNRWA continued to operate under "extraordinary pressure," with nearly 400 of its employees in Gaza killed and many of its facilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory severely damaged or destroyed.

Despite the challenging circumstances, Guterres noted that UNRWA continues to provide essential public services to Palestinian refugees. However, the UN chief emphasized that the agency's work and mandate from the General Assembly are now at risk.

In 2022, the Israeli Knesset passed legislation prohibiting UNRWA from operating on Israeli territory, including East Jerusalem, and barring Israeli officials from cooperating with the agency. The Israeli government subsequently seized and began demolishing UNRWA's main compound in Jerusalem in January 2023. The UN and several countries argue that these laws violate Israel's obligations under the UN Charter and Security Council Resolution 2730 on protecting humanitarian personnel.

Guterres reported that UNRWA has been excluded from coordination meetings with Israeli authorities on humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip and elsewhere, while Israel no longer grants visas to its staff, and UNRWA personnel have faced intimidation. The agency is also grappling with a severe financial crisis, with a US$100 million cash shortfall putting its operations at risk.

Guterres called on member states to take immediate action, stating that UNRWA's capacity to operate is "seriously imperiled" and that regional stability is at stake. He emphasized that continued Israeli attacks kill an average of four people daily, with a quarter of them being children, and international law is being "brazenly violated."

Guterres stressed that the resumption of assistance since the October ceasefire has provided some relief, but conditions remain intolerable. He also highlighted that Israeli settler attacks and efforts to expand settlements in the West Bank have pushed Palestinians to their breaking point, posing a threat to the two-state solution. Throughout the volatile situation, Guterres reiterated that UNRWA remains a "critical stabilizing presence" and a lifeline for many Palestinian refugees.