Palestinian Relief Agency Leader Criticizes ‘Short-Sighted’ Calls for Closure, According to Reuters

By Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber

GENEVA (Reuters) – The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) stated on Tuesday that calls for the agency’s dissolution are misguided, emphasizing that ending its mandate would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Israel has criticized UNRWA, which has supported Palestinian refugees for more than 70 years, claiming it is ineffective. This has led major donors to suspend their funding, following allegations that a small number of UNRWA employees were involved in the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which ignited the ongoing Gaza conflict.

"I have communicated with member states regarding the calls to disband UNRWA. I have cautioned about the consequences and labeled these appeals as shortsighted," UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini remarked after discussions with member states at the United Nations in Geneva.

Prior to the allegations from Israel, the country had consistently called for the agency’s dissolution, arguing that it promotes anti-Israeli sentiments among its personnel.

According to UNRWA, the agency currently faces a financial crisis, with a spokesperson noting that it has only about two weeks of funding left before essential programs may be disrupted. Lazzarini strongly disputes claims of UNRWA’s inefficacy, asserting, "No other UN agency or international NGO has been designated over the past two decades to deliver government-like services, like education, to hundreds of thousands of children."

Founded in 1949 after the establishment of Israel, which resulted in 700,000 Palestinians fleeing their homes, UNRWA now provides vital resources such as food, water, and hygiene supplies to nearly the entire population of Gaza. The agency also offers essential services to Palestinian refugees and their descendants in several Arab nations across the Middle East.

Lazzarini stated that shutting down UNRWA would not only worsen the situation in Gaza but would also jeopardize future transitions in the region. "To facilitate any post-conflict recovery, we must ensure that the international community has the necessary tools, one of which is UNRWA."

U.N. Investigation

In recent days, Lazzarini has engaged in extensive discussions with donors to address a funding shortfall of approximately $440 million, including visits to Gulf nations and Brussels. Some donors, like the United States and the United Kingdom, have indicated they will not resume support until an internal U.N. investigation into the allegations is concluded. A preliminary report is expected in the coming weeks.

"We will closely monitor the progress of this investigation, which will guide our decision," stated Leo Docherty, a British junior foreign office minister, during a session in Parliament.

A French diplomatic source noted that Paris is working to convince European Union partners to reconsider their funding suspensions, emphasizing that there is no viable alternative to UNRWA. "We have full confidence in this United Nations agency, which plays a crucial role for the Palestinian populations. However, we will also take the inquiries regarding implicated agents very seriously," commented Christophe Lemoine, deputy spokesperson for the French foreign ministry.

UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma remarked that, so far, donors have not reversed their funding suspension, which could lead to challenging decisions as early as late February. "The loss stands at approximately half of our operational budget. The pressing question is what our status will be in a few weeks and what decisions we will be forced to make regarding program closures," she stated.