Displaced Palestinians walk through the destruction in Rafah in southern Gaza.
This article is published in association with United Nations.
The implementation of new Israeli laws banning the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA – set to take effect on Thursday – will heighten instability and deepen despair in the occupied Palestinian territory, the Security Council has heard.
Briefing ambassadors in New York on Tuesday, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned that the laws passed in October last year in the Knesset jeopardize the lives of millions of Palestinians and risks undermining the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
They require that UNRWA cease its activities in the territory of the State of Israel – including the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem as the Knesset defines it, in defiance of international law – as well as restricting any Government contacts with the agency or anyone acting on its behalf.
“Curtailing our operations now – outside a political process, and when trust in the international community is so low – will undermine the ceasefire. It will sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition,” Mr. Lazzarini said.
He called for a “decisive intervention” by Council to support peace and stability in the occupied Palestinian territory and the broader region.
Disastrous consequences
Mr. Lazzarini further stressed that the full implementation of the Knesset legislation will be “disastrous”.
In Gaza, undermining UNRWA’s operations would compromise the international humanitarian response, he said, adding that it would also degrade the capacity of the United Nations just when humanitarian assistance must be scaled up.
“This will only worsen the already catastrophic living conditions of millions of Palestinians.”
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, briefs the Security Council.
Unique role
UNRWA was established by the UN General Assembly to provide humanitarian and other essential services to Palestine refugees until a political solution is reached. Read our explainer on how the Gaza war has impacted UNRWA services, here.
Mr. Lazzarini emphasised that its work cannot simply be transferred to other entities, as its scale and trusted relationship with communities are unmatched.
“The Agency’s mere presence brings stability amid profound uncertainty,” he said. “Undermining UNRWA will sabotage Gaza’s recovery and any prospects for peace.”
In East Jerusalem, where the Knesset legislation calls for the immediate expulsion of UNRWA, 70,000 patients and 1,000 students will lose access to health and education services.
Mr. Lazzarini also noted that the legislation coincides with plans to expand illegal settlements on the land currently used by the Agency.
Financial and political challenges
Compounding these threats are severe financial constraints, with key donors reducing or suspending contributions.
Mr. Lazzarini appealed for urgent funding to sustain UNRWA’s operations, warning that its lifesaving work could abruptly end without sufficient resources.
He also highlighted a disinformation campaign spearheaded by Israeli authorities that falsely accuses the Agency of supporting terrorism. Such propaganda, he said, undermines UNRWA’s neutrality and puts its staff at risk.
Call to action
In conclusion, Mr. Lazzarini urged Security Council members to push back against the Knesset legislation, ensure continued funding for UNRWA, and advocate for a genuine political pathway to address the plight of Palestine refugees.
“UNRWA was always meant to be temporary,” he said.
“A fair and lasting political solution would allow the Agency to conclude its mandate, ensuring that its vital services are handed over to a functioning Palestinian state.”
Jan Egeland: Humanitarian efforts face major obstacles
Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), highlighted the indispensable role of UNRWA in supporting Palestine refugees and enabling broader humanitarian efforts.
“UNRWA cannot be replaced by any other of the humanitarian organizations on the ground. We all rely on UNRWA’s logistical capacity. We operate in UNRWA’s schools,” Mr. Egeland said
“It is responsible for a massive relief operation in the hour of greatest need for the Palestinian civilians in Gaza.”
He painted a grim picture of Gaza’s post-war landscape, where 87 per cent of homes have been damaged or destroyed, alongside schools, roads, and hospitals. He also noted that 1.34 million people urgently need emergency shelter support.
Challenges persist
Humanitarian organizations are working to scale up assistance, but challenges remain.
“We managed finally to have 18 trucks of humanitarian cargo into Gaza last week. After months of frustrated attempts. We are working to deliver an additional 4,500 pallets of essential supplies,” Mr. Egeland, noting that insecurity, attacks and looting are still impeding aid delivery.
A seasoned diplomat, Mr. Egeland has been an active participant in several peace processes, acting as the Norwegian official negotiating between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1992, which led to the Oslo Accord of September 1993.
He also served in top humanitarian roles, including as UN Humanitarian Affairs chief and UN Senior Adviser for Syria.
Algeria: UNRWA is life itself
Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama said that for generations of Palestinians, UNRWA “it is not just an agency, it is life itself”.
“From birth to education…UNRWA has been an integral part of their lives,” he said, stating that its role was especially crucial during the 15 months of Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
“UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response, and its role remains essential under the ceasefire…it is irreplaceable, it is indispensable,” he added.
United States: UNRWA not the only option
Dorothy Shea, US Ambassador, said her country is strongly committed to implementing the ceasefire agreement so that the hostages can return home and the people of Gaza can look toward a brighter future under new leadership.
Referring to the laws set to go into effect on 30 January, she said it was Israel’s sovereign right to close UNRWA’s offices in Jerusalem.
“The US supports the implementation of this decision. UNRWA exaggerating the effects of the laws and suggesting that they will force the entire humanitarian response to halt is irresponsible and dangerous,” she said, noting the need for a nuanced discussion to ensure there is no interruption in the delivery of aid and essential services.
“UNRWA is not and never has been the only option for providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza, many other agencies have experience and expertise to do this work and have done this work,” she added.
Palestine: A ‘sacred bond’ exists between a people and their land
Riyad Mansour, Ambassador and Permanent Observer of Palestine, said that Israel has destroyed everything in Gaza, except the sacred bond between a people and their land.
“Their roots run too deep. Their history covers millennia. The wounds of their Nakba [expulsion from ancestral lands in 1948] yet to heal. So by the hundreds of thousands they are going back to the north from which they were uprooted and expelled by the occupying power,” he said.
He underscored the importance of restoring life and hope for the Palestinian people, with the support of the international community.
“There is no alternative to the Palestinian Government and there is no alternative to UNRWA,” he said.
Israel: UNRWA has failed miserably
Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon said that legislation concerning UNRWA activities in Israel will officially come into force in 48 hours, and that the Agency must cease its operations and evacuate all premises it operates in Jerusalem.
“Israel will terminate all collaboration, communication and contact with UNRWA or anyone acting on its behalf,” he said, stating that UNRWA “miserably failed” in its mandate and the people who were supposed to benefit from its services.
“It is time for you to accept, as we have, that UNRWA has failed – in every aspect of its mandate and responsibilities, both morally and professionally,” he said.
The closure of UNRWA operations in Israel marks “the beginning of a new chapter, one focused on dignity, security and progress,” he added, urging the international community to choose between continuing to fund an agency that sows hatred, or promoting a system that nurtures co-existence.
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