{"id":162435,"date":"2018-09-04T13:33:33","date_gmt":"2018-09-04T13:33:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=162435"},"modified":"2020-07-22T00:50:10","modified_gmt":"2020-07-22T04:50:10","slug":"unrwa-will-soon-lose-ability-to-carry-out-most-critical-tasks-director-of-its-new-york-office-tells-palestinian-rights-committee-press-release","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/unrwa-will-soon-lose-ability-to-carry-out-most-critical-tasks-director-of-its-new-york-office-tells-palestinian-rights-committee-press-release\/","title":{"rendered":"UNRWA Will Soon Lose Ability to Carry Out Most Critical Tasks, Director of Its New York Office Tells Palestinian Rights Committee – Press Release"},"content":{"rendered":"

GA\/PAL\/1415<\/strong>
\n391ST MEETING (AM)<\/strong>
\n4 SEPTEMBER 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

Observer for State of Palestine Urges\u00a0Member States, Others to Urgently Make Clear Their Support for UNRWA\u2019s Mandate<\/strong><\/p>\n

fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n

video<\/a><\/p>\n

Despite emergency support from dozens of partners, the Â鶹APP agency charged with providing health care, education and other basic services to some 5\u00a0million Palestine refugees will soon lose its ability to carry out much of its critical work, the director of the agency\u2019s New York office told the Palestinian Rights Committee today.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs thing stand now, we will run out of funding for most of our programming at the end of this month \u2014 four weeks from now,\u201d said Peter Mulrean, Director of the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(UNRWA) Representative Office in New York.\u00a0 Briefing the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on the impact of UNRWA\u2019s funding crisis, he expressed regret at the 31\u00a0August decision by the United States to end its support to the Agency, noting that, in light of the cut, UNRWA is now in need of $200\u00a0million in additional funding to carry out its work through the end of\u00a02018.<\/p>\n

Describing the decision as a \u201cradical departure\u201d from what has long been one of the world\u2019s most robust development and humanitarian relationships, he said that, while it is every nation\u2019s sovereign right to allocate its funding as it chooses, last week\u2019s cuts regrettably appear to be linked to political agendas.\u00a0 Rejecting recent statements by United States officials who described UNRWA\u2019s schools as \u201cirredeemably flawed\u201d, he said the World Bank and other reputable partners have long recognized the Agency\u2019s school systems as among the region\u2019s best.\u00a0 Since the unexpected decision by the United States to freeze $300\u00a0million in support, UNRWA has undertaken unprecedented steps, including diversifying its funding and changing its management in order to cut costs.\u00a0 Meanwhile, other partners have generously stepped up their support, with some 25\u00a0countries moving up their annual contributions and more than 30\u00a0donors providing $238 million to UNRWA\u2019s core and emergency activities.<\/p>\n

Despite such support, however, the Agency does not currently have enough funds to continue to carry out all its core functions through the end of the year, he said, adding that they include millions of medical visits providing food to millions of people in need.\u00a0 Emphasizing that a political solution to the Palestinian-Israeli crisis is not part of the Agency\u2019s mandate, he said UNRWA will continue to push forward with its support of Palestine refugees \u2014 the only task mandated to it by the General Assembly \u2014 as long as the latter deems it necessary. \u00a0\u201cUNRWA should not become a bargaining chip in political negotiations,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

Feda Abdelhady Nasser, Deputy Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine to the Â鶹APP, briefed the Committee on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and on developments in the political process.\u00a0 Thanking Committee members for their support \u201cin these very worrying and difficult times\u201d, she said that confronting the current threats facing the Palestinian people is crucial as the socioeconomic, humanitarian and political crises facing them become increasingly severe. \u00a0Citing Israel\u2019s recent attempts to legitimize its human rights violations \u2014 including collective punishment, restrictions on movement, the illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip and the continuation of illegal Israeli settlement activities \u2014 she said the decline in living conditions, particularly in Gaza, is exacerbating the situation and eroding belief that peace is still possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are regrettably facing countless assaults on the rights of our people,\u201d she continued, citing, in particular, Israel\u2019s adoption of the so-called \u201cNation State Law\u201d and its continuing attempts to displace Palestinians, including those belonging to Bedouin communities.\u00a0 Such actions are emboldened by support from the United States, including the decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem, its funding cuts to UNRWA and its recently stated intention to redefine who qualifies as a refugee.\u00a0 Indeed, she said, it is shocking in\u00a02018 to see the passing of such racist legislation as Israel\u2019s Nation State Law, which amounts to a system of apartheid and defines Palestinians as a separate, second-class population. \u00a0The law could result in attempts to further ignore international laws relating to the plight of Palestine refugees, long understood to be a final status issue, she cautioned.<\/p>\n

Emphasizing that refugee status is strictly defined under international law, and applies equally to the descendants of refugees as long as they remain unable to return to their home, she appealed to Member States and others to urgently make clear their support for UNRWA\u2019s mandate and for Palestine refugees, expressing hope that those issues will take prominence at the upcoming General Assembly high\u2011level general debate and at the next session of its Forth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).<\/p>\n

Dian Triansyah Djani (Indonesia), Vice-Chair of the Committee, provided an update of its recent and upcoming activities, including its fourth annual retreat, during which it considered the programme of work for\u00a02019.\u00a0 Bureau members also discussed a strategy for action at the General Assembly and the Security Council, as well as outreach activities, among them the need to consider one-sided narratives about the question of Palestine, and the Committee\u2019s mandate and work as being \u201canti-Israel\u201d.\u00a0 For those reasons, and given the current political climate, it was agreed to increase Committee activities in the United States, targeting youth in particular, he said, noting that the Bureau agreed to craft common messaging to be used for those purposes.<\/p>\n

Recalling that the Bureau also held a meeting with the Secretary-General on 15\u00a0August, he said participants acknowledged shared objectives and committed to working to advance intra-Palestinian unity and the peace process on the basis of a two-State solution.\u00a0 They also committed to doing their best to ensure sustained financial support for UNRWA.\u00a0 Other topics of discussion included mechanisms to hold Israel accountable for its illegal actions; implementation of Security Council resolution\u00a02334<\/a>\u00a0(2016); support for the Committee of Inquiry mandated by the Human Rights Council to investigate violations committed at the perimeter fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip during\u00a02018 protests; and the Secretary\u2011General\u2019s report on the protection of civilians.<\/p>\n

Turning to upcoming activities, he said the Committee will meet in mid\u2011November to consider draft resolutions on the question of Palestine.\u00a0 The General Assembly will then consider them on 29\u00a0November.\u00a0 In addition, a delegation of the Committee will travel to Brussels and Berlin from 15\u00a0to 20\u00a0October with the aim of enhancing political and diplomatic support for a two\u2011State solution, recognition of the State of Palestine, and to re-engage regional and local civil society organizations, as well as Palestinian solidarity movements active across Europe.<\/p>\n

In other business, the Committee approved, by consensus, a draft report to the General Assembly covering its work, as well as relevant developments since 6\u00a0September\u00a02017 (document\u00a0A\/AC.183\/2018\/CRP.2<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Cuba\u2019s representative, speaking on that item, said the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is becoming increasingly difficult and complex in light of the United States decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem in flagrant violation of international law and various Â鶹APP resolutions.\u00a0 That action undermines the legitimate interests of the Palestinian people and will lead to \u201cvery serious consequences\u201d, as witnessed in the violence witnessed over recent months, she said.\u00a0 Despite numerous Council resolutions to the contrary, Israeli settlement activities \u2014 declared illegal under international law \u2014 continue unabated, she added.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, UNRWA \u2014 while facing a growing number of refugees \u2014 is being forced to seek new sources of funding to bridge a $248\u00a0million shortfall from its $440\u00a0million annual budget, she said.\u00a0 Spotlighting the violence recently committed by Israeli security forces at the border fence between Israel and Gaza \u2014 which resulted in the deaths of 177\u00a0civilians and the wounding of more than 18,000\u00a0others \u2014 she said the draft report adopted today stresses the need to continue to work tireless for peace, in support of Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian State.<\/p>\n

Namibia\u2019s delegate echoed those sentiments, declaring: \u00a0\u201cWe are running out of time.\u201d\u00a0 The situation of Palestine refugees cannot continue indefinitely, he stressed, urging Committee members and other actors to redouble their efforts in seeking a resolution of the long-standing conflict.<\/p>\n

Providing updates on their activities relating to the question of Palestine included representatives of Afghanistan, Turkey and South Africa.\u00a0 A representative of the Israel-Palestine Working Group also participated.<\/p>\n

For information media. Not an official record.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GA\/PAL\/1415 391ST MEETING (AM) 4 SEPTEMBER 2018 Observer for State of Palestine Urges\u00a0Member States, Others to Urgently Make Clear Their Support for UNRWA\u2019s Mandate fran\u00e7ais video Despite emergency support from dozens of partners, the Â鶹APP agency charged with providing health care, education and other basic services to some 5\u00a0million Palestine refugees will soon lose […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[2433,1329,2805,4389],"document-source":[1753,1897,1817],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1945,1801,1749,1745],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542,6541],"class_list":["post-162435","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-french-text","document-category-press-release","document-category-video","document-category-webcast","document-source-ceirpp","document-source-united-nations-department-of-public-information-dpi","document-source-united-nations-relief-and-works-agency-for-palestine-refugees-in-the-near-east-unrwa","document-subject-assistance","document-subject-inalienable-rights-of-the-palestinian-people","document-subject-palestine-question","document-subject-refugees-and-displaced-persons","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english","document-language-french"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/162435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/162435\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=162435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=162435"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=162435"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=162435"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=162435"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=162435"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=162435"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=162435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}