UNRWA reflects the lasting impact of the Nakba and global commitment to Palestinian refugees: Arab League - Foreign Affairs
Official delegations from Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Lebanon participated in the meeting, along with representatives from the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The opening discussions focused on the worsening financial crisis facing UNRWA and the urgent need to mobilise resources to ensure it continues to operate. The delegates also addressed efforts to renew the agency's mandate for another three years and reviewed the agency's strategic evaluation report.
The participating delegations stressed the importance of providing UNRWA with robust financial and political support. They rejected ongoing attempts to undermine or dismantle it. They emphasised the collective responsibility to preserve the rights of Palestinian refugees, including their right of return as stipulated by UN Resolution 194.
Ambassador Saeed Abu Ali, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, described the situation in Gaza as a "full-fledged war of extermination" that reflects a total collapse of humanitarian principles. He warned that the situation in the West Bank is equally dire, citing more than 1,000 martyrs, over 7,000 wounded, the destruction of 1,500 buildings in refugee camps, and the displacement of around 52,000 Palestinians due to settler violence backed by Israeli occupation forces.
Abu Ali stressed that UNRWA remains a living witness to the Nakba, the 1948 mass displacement of Palestinians, and symbolises the international community's enduring commitment to the rights and well-being of Palestinian refugees. He cautioned against attempts to liquidate the agency and erase the refugee issue.
Ambassador Mahmoud Omar, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt and Director of the Palestine Department, described the meeting as coming at a decisive and dangerous moment for the Palestinian cause. He called for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, urging the international community to fulfil its moral and humanitarian duty by contributing to Gaza's reconstruction through the endorsement of the Egyptian-Arab reconstruction plan and strengthening the Palestinian National Authority.
Omar also mentioned Egypt's swift action on three humanitarian fronts since the outbreak of the war: facilitating aid delivery, evacuating the wounded for treatment, and collaborating with partners to develop post-conflict governance arrangements for Gaza. He reiterated Egypt's firm rejection of any proposals to forcibly displace Palestinians, including the establishment of a so-called "humanitarian city," which he described as a flagrant violation of international law and a threat to the two-state solution.
Ahmed Abu Holi, member of the PLO Executive Committee and head of the Department of Refugee Affairs, accused the Israeli occupation of seeking to undermine and dismantle UNRWA through incitement campaigns, restrictions, and efforts to replace it with alternative bodies. He condemned the proposed humanitarian city in Rafah as a thinly veiled displacement project designed to eliminate the refugee issue and liquidate the Palestinian cause.
Abu Holi stressed that President Mahmoud Abbas's vision, as presented at the extraordinary Arab Summit and the UN General Assembly, offers a clear Palestinian roadmap for ending the aggression, halting forced displacement, rebuilding Gaza, and achieving a just peace based on international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
Sahar Al-Jubouri, Head of the Office of the Representative of UNRWA, confirmed that the agency is facing its most severe financial crisis since its establishment, with a budget deficit exceeding $200 million. She said the situation has forced UNRWA to implement exceptional measures, including deferring payments to suppliers to ensure the payment of staff salaries.
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