UNRWA chief 'Israel' out to destroy UNRWA
5 Min Read
The head of the UNRWA says the Israeli occupation is trying to destroy the agency providing relief to afflicted Palestinians in Gaza.
-
The Commissioner-General of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the UNRWA headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, December 6, 2023 (AP)
The Israeli occupation wants to destroy the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in an interview with Swiss newspaper Tamedia.
Lazzarini has refuted calls for his resignation, claiming they are part of an orchestrated campaign by the Israeli government to bring down the organization.
The UNRWA chief went on to assert that the Israeli occupation was engaged in a sustained effort to dismantle the agency, labeling it a "concerted campaign" with long-term political goals.
According to Lazzarini, the Israeli government believes that abolishing UNRWA will lead to the resolution of the status of Palestinian refugees and their right to return.
Lazzarini highlighted various actions taken by the Israeli regime against UNRWA, including parliamentary measures, attempts to revoke the agency's VAT exemption, and directives for contractors at the Israeli "Ashdod" port to cease handling specific food deliveries for the UN agency.
The UNRWA chief also claimed that more than 150 UNRWA installations have been targeted since the beginning of the war on Gaza.
The Israeli occupation, meanwhile, has called for Lazzarini's resignation in connection to the false allegation that 12 of UNRWA's members were affiliated with the October 7 operation conducted by the Palestinian Resistance. As a result, the UK, the US, and 14 other countries have opted to defund the organization, primarily led by the United States, prior to any investigation and without any proof provided.
UNRWA strictly humanitarian
Lazzarini vehemently denied any connection to the Palestinian Resistance, stating that UNRWA is a humanitarian organization. He further dismissed the Israeli regime's call for his resignation, emphasizing that his departure would not improve the situation at the UN agency.
"The criticisms are not concerned with me personally, but with the organization as a whole. The calls for resignation are part of the campaign to destroy UNRWA," Lazzarini asserted.
The Israeli occupation's accusations led to numerous calls for the dismantling of UNRWA, which was slammed by the agency's chief as "short-sighted" amid the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Lazzarini cautioned member states during a meeting in Geneva on Tuesday against the various calls for the dismantling and termination of UNRWA.
“I have warned about the impact, I have said that these calls are short-sighted,” he said.
However, he had said last week, upon being asked about examining the evidence against the employees, whom he fired, he said the investigation was ongoing, meaning the employees were terminated without a proper probe.
Staff wrongfully terminated
He characterized the decision as “reverse due process," adding, “I could have suspended them, but I have fired them. And now I have an investigation, and if the investigation tells us that this was wrong, in that case at the UN we will take a decision on how to properly compensate [them].”
Lazzarini explained that he took an "exceptional and swift decision" to terminate the contracts of the staff members based on the highly sensitive nature of the accusations. He emphasized that the agency was under intense scrutiny and criticism, facing "fierce and ugly attacks" while actively delivering aid to almost 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
“Indeed, I have terminated without due process because I felt at the time that not only the reputation but the ability of the entire agency to continue to operate and deliver critical humanitarian assistance was at stake if I did not take such a decision,” he said.
“My judgment, based on this going public, true or untrue, was I need to take the swiftest and boldest decision to show that as an agency we take this allegation seriously,” he added.
UNRWA operating in a hostile environment amid Gaza genocide
The United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services is currently conducting an investigation into the accusations, with preliminary findings expected in the coming weeks. Additionally, an independent review of the agency's risk management processes is underway, led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.
Lazzarini highlighted the "hostile" environment in which the agency operates, noting increased "restrictions" following the public disclosure of Israeli accusations. He mentioned that an Israeli bank froze UNRWA's account, and the agency received a warning about the potential cancellation of tax benefits.
Lazzarini also disclosed that a shipment of food aid from Turkey, including essential items like flour, chickpeas, rice, sugar, and cooking oil sufficient for 1.1 million people for a month, was obstructed at the Israeli-occupied port of "Ashdod". According to Lazzarini, the contractor cited instructions from Israeli authorities not to move the shipment or accept payment from a Palestinian bank.
