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February 2, 2024<\/p>\n
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GENEVA<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 UN human rights experts* today expressed grave concern at the recent harmful decision by some 18 states to suspend funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).<\/p>\n Australia, Austria, Canada, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States have all announced suspension of funding for UNRWA, the experts said.<\/p>\n \u201cThese announcements come at an existential moment for over two million Palestinians in Gaza enduring catastrophic living conditions due to Israel\u2019s large-scale military attack that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) considers a plausible genocide,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n The decision follows Israel\u2019s allegations against several UNRWA employees of involvement in the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023.<\/p>\n The experts said: \u201cIn response to these allegations, and even before conducting its due process investigation, UNRWA announced its decision to terminate these employees\u2019 contracts \u2018in the interest of the agency.\u2019 This response reflects UNRWA\u2019s firm commitment to ensuring organisational neutrality, in line with UN principles and values rejecting incitement and all forms of violence.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven if allegations against individuals are proven, based on an impartial and independent investigation, UNRWA as a whole, traditionally providing services to 1.7 million Palestinian refugees and offering employment to 13,000 locally recruited staff in Gaza, must not be blamed and punished collectively,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n They were dismayed by reports suggesting Israel intends to \u201cremove\u201d UNRWA from Gaza. \u201cWe condemn in the strongest possible terms any efforts to delegitimise UNRWA as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n Founded in 1949, UNRWA is the largest UN agency in Gaza and the primary provider of life-saving services and support to millions of Palestinians in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, including food assistance, shelter, healthcare, education, water, sanitation and hygiene.<\/p>\n Approximately 1.7 million people displaced across Gaza\u2014some multiple times, injured and highly traumatised\u2014are currently seeking shelter in or near the vicinity of UNRWA facilities and receiving assistance from the Agency\u2014roughly half of them children.<\/p>\n \u201cWe recognise UNRWA\u2019s determination to implement its humanitarian mandate under unprecedented and enormous risks,\u201d the experts said. \u201cMore than 150 UNRWA staff have been killed in Israeli bombardments since 7 October 2023\u2014the highest number of UN staff killed in any conflict since the UN was founded in 1945.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMultiple UNRWA facilities have been targeted, besieged and demolished by the Israeli military, in apparent violation of the principle of the inviolability of UN premises,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n The experts request states to rally around the Agency and urge UNRWA\u2019s leading donors to maintain their support, especially in anticipation of the complex humanitarian challenges ahead. \u201cWe agree with the Principals of the\u00a0Inter-Agency Standing Committee<\/a>\u00a0that no other entity has the capacity to deliver the scale and breadth of assistance that 2.2 million people in Gaza urgently need,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe grossly disproportionate decision to suspend funding by some of the largest donor states defies the basic principle of humanity, and goes against states\u2019 commitment to leave no one behind,\u201d they said. \u201cDenying basic human necessities, life-saving medical care, food, shelter, and antenatal care for pregnant women, is not just indefensible\u2014it is a hindrance to the already complex journey toward peace.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt this existential time for over two million people in Gaza, on the brink of famine, UN operations and facilities must be protected,\u201d the experts said, encouraging states to support UNRWA\u2019s mandate and protect it from interference.<\/p>\n With the ICJ alerting the international community to the risk of genocide in Gaza and ordering immediate and effective action to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians, states must do more, including to avoid legal consequences for aiding and abetting, or possible complicity in acts of genocide,\u201d they said. \u201cInstead of castigating the agency that provides critical support for millions of Palestinians in Gaza, states must exhaust all efforts to avert serious violations of international law, including genocide\u2014and this necessitates continued international support of UNRWA\u2019s vital humanitarian services.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n *The experts: Francesca Albanese,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967<\/strong><\/a>; Ben Saul,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism<\/strong><\/a>; Cecilia M. Bailliet,<\/strong>\u00a0Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity<\/strong><\/a>; Michael Fakhri,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the right to food<\/strong><\/a>; Nicolas Levrat,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on minority rights<\/strong><\/a>;<\/strong>\u00a0Attiya Waris,<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Independent Expert on foreign debt, other international financial obligations and human rights<\/strong><\/a>; Livingstone Sewanyana,<\/strong>\u00a0Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order<\/strong><\/a>; Tlaleng Mofokeng,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health<\/strong><\/a>;<\/strong>\u00a0Mr. Tomoya Obokata,<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences<\/strong><\/a>; Reem Alsalem,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences<\/strong><\/a>; Ms. Alexandra Xanthaki,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights<\/strong><\/a>; Ms. Paula Gaviria Betancur,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons<\/strong><\/a>; Ms Ashwini K.P.<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance<\/strong><\/a>; Barbara G. Reynolds (Chair), Dominique Day, Bina D\u2019Costa,<\/strong>\u00a0Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent<\/strong><\/a>; Olivier De Schutter,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights<\/strong><\/a>; Dorothy Estrada Tanck (Chair), Claudia Flores, Ivana Krsti\u0107, Haina Lu, and Laura Nyirinkindi (Vice-Chair),<\/strong>\u00a0Working group on discrimination against women and girls<\/strong><\/a>;<\/strong>\u00a0Working group on discrimination against women and girls<\/strong><\/a>; Pedro Arrojo-Agudo<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation<\/strong><\/a>; Carlos Salazar Couto (Chair-Rapporteur), Sorcha MacLeod, Jovana Jezdimirovic Ranito, Chris M. A. Kwaja, Ravindran Daniel,<\/strong>\u00a0Working Group on the use of mercenaries<\/strong><\/a>;<\/strong>\u00a0Siobh\u00e1n Mullally,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children<\/strong><\/a>; Mr. Balakrishnan Rajagopal,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing<\/strong><\/a>; Farida Shaheed,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the right to education<\/strong><\/a>; Cl\u00e9ment Nyaletsossi Voule<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n