The Crisis Facing UNRWA and Palestinian Refugees

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is facing unprecedented challenges as it approaches a critical juncture in its operations. This month marks the conclusion of Philippe Lazzarini's tenure as commissioner-general of UNRWA, during which the agency has provided essential services to Palestinian refugees for over 75 years. Amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the broader US-Israeli tensions, Lazzarini has expressed profound concern for the future of Palestinian refugees and the multilateral system supporting them.

The Guardian

In December 2023, Lazzarini reported the deaths of 130 UNRWA personnel due to escalating violence in Gaza. This figure has since tripled, with over 390 staff members killed and many others injured or detained. The agency's facilities in Gaza have suffered extensive damage, with reports of Israeli legislation aimed at dismantling UNRWA's presence in occupied East Jerusalem. This includes the forcible closure of schools and health clinics, as well as the destruction of UNRWA's headquarters, which was looted and set ablaze.

The Guardian

UNRWA plays a critical role in providing primary healthcare, education, clean water, and sanitation to Palestinian refugees. Despite claims from the Israeli government alleging breaches of neutrality, Lazzarini asserts that the agency remains operational and essential for protecting Palestinian rights. The agency's registration of refugees and its historical archives are vital for addressing the long-standing question of Palestine, making its elimination a strategic objective in the ongoing conflict.

The Guardian

The potential collapse of UNRWA would have dire consequences for Palestinian refugees and regional stability. Lazzarini warns that without immediate political and financial support, the agency could cease to function, placing the burden of service delivery on Israel as the occupying power and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in host countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The suffering of Palestinian refugees, who have faced generations of displacement, would intensify significantly.

The Guardian

Critics argue that the international community has failed to adequately protect UNRWA, allowing it to become a battleground in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Lazzarini emphasizes the need for moral clarity and principled leadership to uphold international law and support multilateralism. He calls for a broad coalition to mobilize resources and political will to prevent UNRWA's collapse, which would undermine the rights-based international framework established to protect vulnerable populations.

The Guardian

• “It is incomprehensible that a UN entity has been allowed to be crushed as Unrwa has, in violation of international law, with total impunity, and with staff and Palestinian communities paying an unacceptable price.” — Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA

The Guardian

• “A disorderly collapse of Unrwa would fuel insecurity, placing the full responsibility for delivering services to Palestinian refugees in the Palestine on Israel, as the occupying power, and foisting an enormous burden on Lebanon, Syria and Jordan as host countries.” — Philippe Lazzarini

The Guardian

• “The abject failure to muster an effective multilateral and international law-based response in Gaza enabled a war outside international legal boundaries – one that is now spreading across and beyond the Middle East.” — Philippe Lazzarini

The Guardian

The future of UNRWA and the millions of Palestinian refugees it serves hangs in the balance, necessitating urgent action from the international community to avert a humanitarian disaster.

The Guardian