MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. Some countries want to dismantle the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for political reasons, which could undermine efforts to create a Palestinian state, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told TASS in am exclusive interview.
"I clearly brought on the attention of the [UN] Member States the fact that we have to push back because the real intention to dismantle the agency is of a political nature, which could in the future undermine effort leading to a political solution and to a true Palestinian state solution," he said.
According to the agency's chief, more than 80% of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza believe that if UNRWA is dissolved, it will not be possible to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli issue through the creation of two states. "I do believe that the effort to dismantle UNRWA will continue, but the primary objective of this effort is of a political nature. It's to try to strip the Palestinians from their refugee status, and this has been clearly articulated now by the Israel representative at the Security Council last week. He said, UNRWA is perpetuating the refugee problem. But it's not UNRWA perpetuating the refugee problem, it's the absence of a political solution which perpetuates the refugee status," he explained.
Lazzarini pointed out that he was not aware of a formal Israeli proposal to the UN to disband UNRWA and transfer its staff to another agency, as has been reported in the media. "I am very much aware of calls by the government of Israel for UNRWA to dismantle. I am very much aware of discussions about who can replace UNRWA for which kind of activities in Gaza," the agency chief said. "UNRWA has 13,000 staff members in Gaza. The next biggest United Nations agency has maximum of around 100 staff members. Which means you cannot just step in like that. When you look just at the food assistance in Gaza, we represent more than half of the supply in the Gaza Strip, the rest being World Food Programme and other international NGOs. But there is also no organization, which can step in and provide access to primary health or access to education the way we do. Only a functioning government or administration could do that," he underscored.
He also recalled that a group of independent experts recently issued a report saying "that the agency is not only indispensable and irreplaceable." Remember in Gaza we had 300,000 girls and boys in our primary schools and secondary schools. If you also consider those who were in the Palestinian Authority schools, it's more than half a million girls and boys. Now, if UNRWA would go, who else would take this over in the absence of a functioning state? <...> UNRWA is much more than just a food distribution, it's primary health care, it's education, and these are government like services that no other organization can take over. And the only one who will be able to take over will be the future state of Palestine once we have a political solution," Lazzarini added.
He told TASS as well that most of the countries that suspended payments to the UNRWA in January have resumed them, but the US still has no plans to restore funding to the organization.
In late January, several countries, including the US, decided to suspend funding for UNRWA after Israeli authorities claimed that some of the agency's employees were linked to the radical Palestinian movement Hamas.
"The good news is that most of the countries who suspended have now reviewed their decision and have contributed or have re-initiated their contribution to the agency and some other reluctant countries now have a more weighted report which has been issued this week and I'm cautiously optimistic it will help us to restore the confidence with our donor base," Lazzarini said. "The only country, which will not contribute to the agency is the main donor to the agency, but we know that until March 2025, there will be no contributions. We're talking about the US, so we have to find ways to fill the gap left behind by the US," he emphasized
"That's why I am also focusing a lot of my effort, trying to encourage current donors to increase their contribution, but also to bring on board new donors," the UNRWA chief added.
Lazzarini noted that the UNRWA would cease to exist only when Palestine becomes a full-fledged state.
"My common sense would be to have a political solution. And if there is a political solution, UNRWA can phase out. That means the state takes over. And our raison d’etre is over," he said.
Lazzarini recalled that the agency was established as a temporary organization, but has been working for 75 years. "Now if we are genuinely committed to a solution, in that case we can reinstate the temporary nature of the agency and we would help any transition leading to the solution. So yes, I really hope we will be able to fulfill our role and our mandate until there is such a solution. To make it possible we will have to struggle to make it happen," the UNRWA chief added.
"I do believe that the temptation to get rid of UNRWA and to dismantle the agency will continue. There will continue to be a lot of political pressure and that is the reason why I keep now asking Member States to help us to shield and protect the agency's mandate so that we continue to fulfill what's expected from us until there is a political solution. Will it happen? I hope so. That's the struggle we are having now," he emphasized.
Lazzarini also pointed out that Israel's intention to dismantle UNRWA is finding some resonance abroad, especially at the level of parliamentarians. "You have seen that recently the US Congress decided to prohibit any funding to UNRWA. So that is the kind of traction we are facing. But I know also that this discussion is also sometimes taking place in other parliaments. So, there is some traction among politicians, but it is not necessarily translated into government policy," the agency chief concluded.