±¬ÁÏÍø

25 March 2025

Chair:????? Mr. Al-thani (Vice-Chair)…………………………………….. (Qatar)

Contents

Agenda item 49: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (continued)

In the absence of Ms. Pav?uta-Deslandes (Latvia), Mr. Al-thani (Qatar), Vice-Chair, took the Chair.

The meeting was called to order at 10 a.m.

Agenda item 49: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (continued) (A/79/13, A/79/329, A/79/287 and A/79/259)

1. Mr. Mohamed (Sudan) said that the question of Palestine remained a top priority for the Arab States. The Palestinian right to self-determination should be realized, an independent State of Palestine should be established, and Palestine refugees should be allowed to return to their land. The current situation reflected the diminished prospects for a just, peaceful and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. The Palestinian people were in desperate need of a ceasefire and humanitarian aid. In such harsh circumstances, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (±¬ÁÏÍøRWA) represented the only hope to deliver assistance and relief to Palestinians amid the collapse of infrastructure. The Agency¡¯s efforts were critical not only in Gaza and the West Bank, but also in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, as ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was the only agency capable of delivering education, healthcare and basic services. The international community would continue to require the Agency¡¯s efforts until a comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestinian question was found. The measures recently taken against the Agency would deprive some six million Palestine refugees of vital services, with an adverse impact on stability and security in the Middle East. The Sudan supported all genuine efforts aimed at empowering ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to continue its mission and provide important services to Palestine refugees.
2. Mr. Henry (Saint Lucia) said that, notwithstanding his delegation¡¯s condemnation of terrorism in all forms, it was immensely difficult to grapple with the fact that over 43,000 lives had been lost in Gaza, mostly women and children, killed by the Israeli army in the name of self-defence in response to the terrorist attack of 7?October 2023, in which some 1,200 persons had been killed. Saint Lucia was deeply concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Estimates indicated that 1.9 million people had been displaced and were struggling to live with dignity. In that connection, his delegation supported the mandate and vital work of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. It lamented that nearly 300 aid workers, including at least 243 ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA personnel, had been killed in Gaza. Saint Lucia was deeply concerned that recent developments aimed at undermining the Agency would hamper the delivery of the much-needed emergency aid, education and healthcare that the Palestinians deserved, exacerbating an already dire situation. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza; no organization could replace it. The international community must continue to support the Agency, which had played a leading role in global advocacy for civilians in Gaza. The Palestinian people should be allowed to exercise their right to self-determination and to have their own State, with full membership in the United Nations, alongside the State of Israel. Until a solution to the conflict was found, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA would remain indispensable.
3. Mr. G¨®mez Hern¨¢ndez (Spain) said that, under the current circumstances, there was no possible replacement for ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. The Agency¡¯s mandate had been handed down by the General Assembly and could not be implicitly modified or transferred to another actor. Not only were the assistance and basic services provided by ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to the Palestinian people crucial, but the Agency had become even more indispensable as it had been obliged to take on the role of coordinating humanitarian aid.
4. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was under attack. In January 2024, allegations that the Agency was colluding with Hamas had prompted the Commissioner-General of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and the Secretary-General to take swift action. Investigations had been launched by ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), and by an independent panel on transparency and neutrality led by Catherine Colonna. None of those investigations had found any evidence supporting the accusations made. Obstacles such as a lack of visas and entry permits and insufficient access to supplies posed a threat not only to the mandate of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, but also to the communities served by the Agency. The simple act of providing basic services supported stability in the region.
5. On 28 October 2024, the Israeli Knesset had adopted two laws that represented a frontal assault against international law. As had been affirmed by the Secretary-General, no national jurisdiction could unilaterally modify or terminate an obligation established in international law. The laws adopted by the Knesset would set a dangerous precedent, and the international community must work together to keep them from entering into effect.
6. Since the onset of the crisis, Spain had contributed over €43 million to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and had even increased its contribution when other countries had frozen theirs. Most of those donors had since resumed their funding, but not all. His delegation had supported the measures taken by the Commissioner-General of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and the Secretary-General in response to the allegations made against the Agency. As the Chair of the Advisory Commission of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA since 1 July 2024, Spain had worked tirelessly with all host and donor countries to ensure that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA could continue to play its vital humanitarian role.
7. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA would have fulfilled its mandate only when the Palestinian people were no longer refugees. A peace conference with the parties and the international community should be held under the auspices of the United Nations with a view to implementing the two-State solution, which was the only way to break the cycle of violence devastating the region.
8. Ms. Jaworska-Debska (Poland) said that Palestine had, for many years, been a priority in her delegation¡¯s humanitarian aid efforts. Poland considered ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to be a key partner in delivering humanitarian aid to the region and ensuring that essential humanitarian support reached some of the most vulnerable populations in the region. Poland welcomed the high-level action plan developed by the Agency to implement the recommendations set out in the report of the independent review of mechanisms and procedures to ensure adherence by ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to the humanitarian principle of neutrality, which demonstrated the Agency¡¯s commitment to neutrality and to rebuilding the trust that was essential for its operations. In the light of the catastrophic situation in Gaza, Poland had made extraordinary contributions to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and the World Food Programme earlier in 2024 and had provided equipment to Jordan to facilitate humanitarian airdrops. Her delegation was deeply concerned by the laws recently passed by the Knesset, which imposed significant limitations on ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA activities in Gaza and the West Bank and which would have a significant humanitarian impact. All channels should remain open to ensure that humanitarian assistance could be delivered to the civilians of Gaza. Her delegation called upon the Israeli authorities to suspend those restrictive laws.
9. Ms. Sarabia Ojeda (Chile) said that the international community had been witnessing a cycle of violence that was costing thousands of Palestinian civilians their lives. Food insecurity affected 80 per cent of the population in Gaza, and civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and shelters, continued to be targeted by attacks. Her delegation called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Regrettably, the volume of humanitarian aid that had entered Gaza in October 2024 had been the lowest in months, with an average of just 37 trucks per day for a population of 2.2 million. The flow of humanitarian aid should be restored as quickly as possible.
10. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA played an essential role for millions of Palestine refugees. The Agency urgently needed resources to support its operations. Chile supported the statement of shared commitments on ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. It shared the concerns expressed by the Secretary-General, the Commissioner-General of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and other Member States regarding the two laws passed by the Knesset that would restrict the activities of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. Chile was particularly concerned about the devastating humanitarian impact that would arise from their implementation.
11. Chile supported the recognition of two States living in harmony within secure and internationally recognized borders, and with full respect for the human rights of all their inhabitants. It also supported the admission of the State of Palestine as a full Member State of the United Nations. All General Assembly resolutions on the right of the Palestinian people to form a sovereign State should be fully implemented, as should all related resolutions, including Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), in which the Council reaffirmed that the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, constituted a violation of international law.
12. Chile condemned the actions of Hamas, as well as all terrorist acts and acts of violence against civilians. It called for the immediate release of all hostages while ensuring their well-being and treatment in accordance with international law. Both the terrorist attacks committed by Hamas on 7 October 2023 and the indiscriminate response of the State of Israel against the civilian population in Gaza and the West Bank were in violation of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and international humanitarian law. The parties to the conflict and the international community should continue their efforts to end the war through dialogue. Chile was committed to providing voluntary contributions to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and called upon other Member States to follow suit.
13. Mr. Young (United Kingdom) said that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was indispensable, as no other agency could get aid into Gaza at the scale required or replace its mandate to serve Palestine refugees. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was more critical than ever in the light of the urgent and shocking warning by the Famine Review Committee that famine was imminent in northern Gaza. There was no justification for cutting ties with ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. The grave allegations that had been made against ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA staff had been taken seriously. His Government had lifted its pause on funding for ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA after the decisive action taken by the Secretary-General and the Commissioner-General of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. In 2024, the United Kingdom had committed $27 million to the Agency, $1.2 million of which had directly supported implementation of the recommendations set out in the independent review.
14. The laws on ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA recently passed by the Knesset were gravely concerning. They risked jeopardizing the entire international humanitarian response in Gaza and the delivery of essential health and education services in the West Bank. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA had a mandate from the General Assembly. The Agency was the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza and a lifeline for thousands of civilians there, in the West Bank and in the wider region. His delegation would continue to work with its international partners and through the United Nations to apply pressure on Israel to ensure that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA could continue its vital operations. The humanitarian situation in Gaza was catastrophic and completely unacceptable and would worsen as winter approached. Israel was responsible for ensuring that aid could reach civilians in Gaza. His delegation expected Israel to abide by its legal obligations and ensure that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA could continue its lifesaving work. There should be no more excuses from Israel with respect to humanitarian aid.
15. Ms. Sanmiguel Pati?o (Colombia) said that her delegation was concerned that, even as ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA remained one of the most important actors providing humanitarian assistance, healthcare and education services in Gaza, its activities were increasingly restricted. All States that promoted respect for international law and international humanitarian law had an obligation to defend ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and support the Agency¡¯s work. All Parties should take the necessary measures to protect civilians, ensure that they had access to basic rights and civil infrastructure, and guarantee unimpeded and safe humanitarian access to Gaza. Colombia was particularly concerned that women and children had been the most affected by the conflict, which was why it could not remain silent in the face of the ongoing attacks against the Agency¡¯s activities. The international community should express its firm support for the work of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and ensure that the Agency¡¯s activities were not hindered or disrupted by unilateral decisions. The Agency should be provided with the funds and capacities necessary for it to continue its work, as well as with the legal, political and institutional support required to prevent the implementation of measures aimed at terminating its operations at such a critical juncture for the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Colombia therefore supported the statement of shared commitments on ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and would continue to support any initiatives aimed at supporting and defending the Agency¡¯s work.
16. Ms. Bartolini (San Marino) said that her delegation had repeatedly condemned the terrorist attacks of 7 October 2023. San Marino was deeply shocked by the unprecedented number of civilian casualties in Gaza. It once again issued a call for an immediate ceasefire and for the unconditional release of all hostages. All parties should comply with international law, including international humanitarian law.
17. The catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza was deeply troubling, as the destruction of residences and public infrastructure had reached appalling levels, violence had displaced millions of people, and livelihoods and crops had been destroyed, resulting in an imminent risk of famine. In such conditions, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA played a critical role in providing life-saving humanitarian assistance and essential education, health and social services to Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic.
18. San Marino welcomed the commitment of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to fully implementing the recommendations of the independent review with a view to promoting the Agency¡¯s neutrality, impartiality and independence. San Marino had joined the initiative on shared commitments on ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA in support of the Agency¡¯s work. As the backbone of humanitarian assistance in the region, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA should be protected. Instead, over 240 ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA personnel had been killed since 7 October 2023, and over 200 ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA premises had been damaged or destroyed. Her delegation condemned those unacceptable attacks and called upon all parties to respect their obligations under international law.
19. San Marino was deeply concerned by recent developments that would hinder the crucial mandate of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. If implemented, such measures would obstruct the Agency¡¯s ability to operate, preventing it from delivering life-saving assistance in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Dismantling ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA would further exacerbate tensions in the region, creating greater instability and decreasing prospects for peace. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA must be allowed to continue to carry out its essential work in accordance with its mandate.
20. In line with its support for ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, San Marino had joined the Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank and Gaza and had made financial contributions to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, the United Nations Children¡¯s Fund and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The international community should recommit to finding a lasting and sustainable peace through a renewed peace process. San Marino remained committed to the two-State solution, in which Israel and Palestine would live side by side, in peace and security, with mutual recognition.
21. Ms. Cooke (Ireland) said that the Commissioner-General of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA continued to exemplify the core values of the United Nations in fulfilling his mandate amid the most challenging of circumstances. In Gaza, hundreds of thousands of innocent children were paying the ultimate price in the ongoing war. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was a lifeline for those children, providing basic human necessities and essential services, including education and psychosocial support. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was the only agency that could deliver support and services at the scale required.
22. Ireland strongly condemned the measures taken by Israel against ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. It called upon Israel to cease its attempts to dismantle ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, including by suspending implementation of the relevant laws passed by the Knesset in October 2024. If those laws were to enter into effect, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA services would collapse, which would amount to collective punishment. The repercussions would be felt for generations.
23. Amid the continuing and systemic attacks by the Israeli Government against ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, Ireland had strengthened its support, contributing €20 million to the Agency in 2024. All Member States should step up their financial support to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. The laws on ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA passed by the Knesset set a dangerous precedent for the United Nations and the entire multilateral system. Responsible members of the international community had a collective duty to take all possible measures to prevent their implementation.
24. While Ireland acknowledged the pain and suffering of the Israeli people following the abhorrent attacks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations on 7?October 2023, dismantling the core humanitarian provider in the Occupied Palestinian Territory was not an appropriate response. Doing so would only breed resentment, hatred, hopelessness and radicalization.
25. The previous week, the Famine Review Committee had reported that there was a strong likelihood of imminent famine in northern Gaza. Ireland called upon Israel to immediately end its siege in northern Gaza. An immediate ceasefire was needed. The hostages should be released, and the scale of humanitarian aid into Gaza should be increased.
26. Ms. Baimarro (Sierra Leone) said that, over the years, Member States had reviewed numerous reports and briefings on the operations of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, all of which testified to the vital importance of the Agency. The direct relief and education, health care and social services it provided to millions of Palestinians across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, were a testament to the Agency¡¯s long-standing commitment to the welfare and human development of Palestine refugees. Regrettably, its ability to deliver at scale and provide adequate humanitarian assistance to civilians, in Gaza and elsewhere, had been severely affected in recent months owing to the ongoing hostilities, the breakdown of law and order, insecurity for humanitarian workers and the laws recently passed by the Israeli parliament. No other entity would be able to replace ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and the life-saving work it performed for Palestinians in Gaza and across the wider region. Member States should take action to strengthen the Agency¡¯s operational capacity. The Agency should be provided with sufficient, predictable and sustained financial and other support until a just and lasting solution to the plight of the Palestine refugees was found. An immediate and permanent ceasefire should be applied in Gaza, and the relevant Security Council resolutions and provisional orders of the International Court of Justice should be implemented. To achieve lasting peace and security in the region, the relevant parties should resume a political dialogue, guided by the principle of a two-State solution.
27. Mr. Costa Chaves (Timor-Leste) said that his delegation stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people and Israeli civilians amid the current challenging times. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was a cornerstone of collective humanitarian efforts, and the Agency embodied the fundamental values upon which the United Nations had been built. The mandate of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA went beyond the provision of immediate relief. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA represented an investment in the sustainable future of Palestinian society. The education services it provided empowered individuals and cultivated resilience in communities. The worsening economic conditions in the region had made Palestine refugees even more vulnerable. Collaborative efforts were needed to enhance livelihoods and create sustainable economic opportunities for forcibly displaced populations. Partnerships with local and international stakeholders should be strengthened to ensure that refugees were integrated into broader economic ecosystems. Such integration was crucial to empower displaced persons to participate in and contribute to the reconstruction of their communities, thereby fostering a sense of belonging and purpose. The international community should immediately address the alarming financial challenges currently faced by ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. All Member States should honour their financial commitments while also exploring innovative funding mechanisms. Timor-Leste supported the independent review and urged the parties to respect the mandate of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA.
28. Mr. Laursen (Denmark) said that his delegation fully supported ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and the leadership of its Commissioner-General at such a critical time for the Agency and for the millions of Palestine refugees that it served in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. No organization could replace ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, which was the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza. Denmark condemned any attempt to obstruct the Agency¡¯s ability to fulfil its mandate. It urged the Israeli Government to abide by its obligations under international law and respect the privileges and immunities of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. As an occupying Power, Israel should immediately take measures to facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance into and throughout Gaza. Implementation of the laws recently adopted by the Knesset would hamper the Agency¡¯s operations, thus worsening the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. It would also risk jeopardizing the prospects for a two-State solution and could potentially constitute a violation of Israeli obligations under international law. Furthermore, the laws could set a very concerning precedent against the United Nations as a whole.
29. Denmark remained deeply concerned about the apparent disregard for the protection of civilians, including journalists, healthcare personnel and humanitarian workers. Aid workers should be protected by all parties in accordance with international humanitarian law. His delegation welcomed the swift action taken by the Secretary-General and the Commissioner-General of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA in response to the serious allegations made against some ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA personnel. Lastly, Denmark stressed that the General Assembly was the only body that could define the mandate of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, which would remain vital until a sustainable political solution to the conflict was found.
30. Mr. Issahaku (Ghana) said that the international community¡¯s commitment to the Palestine refugees was now jeopardized by the measures taken by the occupying Power threatening the ability of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to provide essential education, healthcare, relief and social services, especially in the light of the proposal by the occupying Power to withdraw its cooperation. Ghana shared the concerns that any effort to obstruct ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA could have dire consequences for Palestine refugees, particularly those in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It was regrettable that such a move was coming at a critical time for ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, when its facilities in Gaza had been systematically destroyed and more than 240 of its personnel killed since October 2023. His delegation urged the Government of the occupying Power to choose a path aligned with international law, international humanitarian law and the international community¡¯s general views on humane treatment of Palestine refugees, in line with its existing obligations. Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to the full and unhindered implementation of the ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA mandate. As a member of the Working Group on the Financing of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, his delegation called upon the international donor community to sustain its financial support to scale up ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA operations. The Palestinian refugee issue could not be resolved through unilateral measures and was inherently tied to the broader Palestinian question. Ghana reiterated its call for an immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities, the release of all remaining hostages, the unhindered delivery of large-scale humanitarian assistance and the resumption of dialogue towards achieving a political solution in line with the two-State solution.
31. Archbishop Caccia (Observer for the Holy See) said that the Holy See unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack carried out on 7 October 2023 by Hamas and other armed groups against the Israeli population and appealed for the immediate release of all hostages. At the same time, the Holy See was concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, which had resulted in extensive loss of life and the forcible displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. The protracted conflict was exerting significant pressure on Lebanon, which had already been experiencing political and economic distress. The prevailing circumstances were causing considerable suffering to all communities in southern Lebanon, including numerous Christian villages, and to communities in northern Israel.
32. In such a challenging situation, it was necessary to facilitate international aid to ensure that it reached those in need. All parties should respect customary international law, including by protecting individuals who were not actively engaged in hostilities and safeguarding medical facilities, educational institutions and places of worship that served civilians, along with their tangible and intangible assets. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA played an important role in the ongoing crisis, providing vital assistance to over 5 million Palestine refugees in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. The Holy See urged the international community to continue to support ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. At the same time, it called upon the Agency to remain politically neutral, impartial and effective. Member States should continue to support the ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA mandate and safeguard the Agency¡¯s role in providing humanitarian assistance and protecting Palestine refugees. Any effort to undermine the mandate of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA would not only deprive vulnerable populations of essential support but would also risk weakening the framework of international law and the Organization¡¯s broader commitment to achieving a just and lasting resolution to the conflict. The only solution to the suffering of the Palestinian and Israeli peoples was a just and lasting peace based on the two-State solution.
33. Ms. Elardja Flitti (Observer for the League of Arab States) said that her delegation appreciated the tireless efforts made to meet the growing needs of Palestine refugees, amid the ongoing war and deteriorating humanitarian conditions, in the context of the vicious Israeli attacks aimed at dismantling ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA as a first step towards eliminating the right of return for Palestine refugees. Israel, along with its allies, had done everything in its power to snuff out the Palestinian cause, uproot the Palestinian people and commit genocide against them. Israel was attempting to plant settlers on occupied Palestinian and Arab lands, in flagrant violation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016). The League strongly condemned the decision by the Knesset to ban ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and welcomed the press statement issued by the Security Council in that regard. The General Assembly must staunchly defend the mandate of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. Israel was disrespecting international law, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention. It continued to impose a one-State solution that was inconsistent with General Assembly resolution 181 (II). Israel was taking advantage of the paralysis in the peace process; the Security Council was unable to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza, and the international community as a whole had failed to ensure that its decisions on the question of Palestine were implemented.
34. The League had joined initiatives such as the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, an alliance to support ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA in response to the laws passed by the Knesset, and an initiative in support of a weapons supply ban on Israel. The League called for an end to double standards, an immediate ceasefire, the delivery of sufficient amounts of humanitarian aid to Gaza and an end to the forced displacement of the Palestinian people.
35. The League was firmly convinced of the importance of achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in accordance with the two-State solution. The ¡°land for peace¡± principle should be applied, not the ¡°peace for peace¡± principle.
36. Only the General Assembly had the authority to change the ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA mandate. Any changes to that mandate should be implemented gradually, as part of a political solution that would enable the transfer of the Agency¡¯s tasks to the legitimate Government of Palestine and facilitate the return of the Palestinian people to their homes and lands. The international community must ensure that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and its five areas of operation received adequate funding.
37. Ms. Volkov (Australia) said that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was the only entity with the mandate and infrastructure to receive and distribute aid at the scale required amid the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. For that reason, Australia had funded ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA since 1951, had doubled its contribution in 2022 and had voted in favour of General Assembly resolution 77/123, renewing the Agency¡¯s mandate until 2026. Australia had joined with Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom to express opposition to the plans of the Knesset to prohibit the presence of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA in Israel. Australia supported the press statement issued by the Security Council on 30 October 2024, in which the members of the Council expressed grave concern over the laws adopted by the Knesset and urged Israel to abide by its international obligations. The allegations regarding ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA staff involvement in the 7 October 2023 attack were grave and had warranted an immediate and appropriate response. Accordingly, Australia had paused its funding for ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. Nevertheless, it had since resumed its funding based on the steps taken to strengthen the integrity of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA operations, including the OIOS investigation, the decision to terminate the employment of individuals where evidence found that they might have been involved in the abhorrent terror attacks, and the independent review, which had found that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was indispensable and had robust principles and processes to safeguard neutrality. Australia, alongside its partners, continued to push the United Nations and ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to implement reforms and recommendations arising from those investigations. Her delegation condemned the brutal and unjustified terror attacks by Hamas on Israel on 7 October 2023. Nevertheless, Palestinian civilians should not be made to pay the price. It was crucial that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and other United Nations entities be fully able to deliver humanitarian aid to those who needed it the most.
38. Ms. Gunnarsd¨®ttir (Director, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA Representative Office, New York) said that it was heartening to hear the overwhelming and unwavering support expressed for ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, its mandate, its staff and its Commissioner-General during such unprecedented and difficult times for the Agency. As had been requested by the Commissioner-General (see ), Member States should take action to prevent the implementation of the laws adopted by the Knesset against ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. Changes to the Agency¡¯s mandate were the prerogative of the General Assembly, not individual Member States. Any plan for a political transition should delineate the role of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. It was crucial that Member States not withhold or divert funding from ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA on the assumption that the Agency could no longer operate. The cost of providing critical services, including education and health care, would be immense. After the violence ended, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA would be the only entity capable of taking on the education of the approximately 660,000 children in Gaza who were currently being deprived of the right to education. Lastly, Member States should use all legal and political tools at their disposal to uphold the international rule-based order. ±¬ÁÏÍø and its staff were in an increasingly untenable position and, should the multilateral legal and political framework collapse, would not be able to continue to perform their duties. She urged Member States to consider what such a scenario would mean for the collective future of humanity.

Statements made in exercise of the right of reply

39. Mr. Shalev Schlosser (Israel) said that his delegation was compelled to reply to the false and misleading narrative about the activities of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA that many delegations had presented. Israel had provided evidence, including names and Hamas identifications, of over 100 ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA employees who had been involved in violent acts against Israelis. Those individuals, who had been receiving salaries funded by the United Nations, had invaded Israel and engaged in violence and brutality. Israel had consistently presented evidence implicating numerous ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA employees, showing that some teachers were in fact terrorists, some aid workers were murderers, and certain clinics had been used as weapons storage sites. Information gathered by Israel in July 2024 and shared with ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA revealed that 10 per cent of senior educational staff in ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA schools in Gaza were members of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. Those individuals managed schools that served tens of thousands of children. The names of alleged Hamas commanders and operatives had been set out in a disturbing report, issued in November 2024, entitled ¡°Review of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA schools headed by Hamas principals¡±, compiled by IMPACT-se, an international policy and research institute that examined textbooks globally. The individuals named in that report had manipulated educational content to teach hatred and hostility. In addition, Hamas terror tunnels had been discovered beneath two of the schools, which further exposed the extent to which those institutions were being exploited for terror purposes. It was not a matter of isolated cases, but rather a systemic issue with deep-rooted connections between terror groups and the very institutions intended to provide education and hope for the future. The findings of the report were backed by clear evidence from the field. It was deeply concerning that such individuals continued to receive salaries funded by taxpayers around the world who believed that they were contributing to peace, not to the perpetuation of extremism. He wondered if the ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA inquiry had taken such evidence into consideration, or if all evidence against the ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA involvement in terror was to be, as a matter of principle, systematically ignored.
40. His delegation urged the international community to address the failure by ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to uphold the principles of neutrality and accountability. As long as the Agency served as a tool for extremist agendas, it obstructed genuine progress towards a peaceful resolution. The exceptional privileges granted to Palestinian refugees under ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA starkly contrasted with how other displaced populations had been treated, such as Syrians, Ukrainians, Afghans and the Jewish communities that had been expelled from Arab lands after 1948, none of whom passed down refugee status from generation to generation. Those groups sought enduring stability instead of perpetual conflict.
41. Mr. Nouh (Egypt), speaking in response to the representative of Israel, said that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA played an important and irreplaceable role in accordance with the mandate entrusted to it by the General Assembly pursuant to General Assembly resolution 302 (IV) and subsequent resolutions. In the most recent Israeli war, hundreds of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA personnel had been killed, and the Agency¡¯s educational and healthcare facilities had been destroyed. Even if Israel had concerns about ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA personnel, they did not justify the killing of staff members and the destruction of infrastructure. Israel had perpetrated killings and destruction; far from being a neutral party, it stood accused of illegal acts. Egypt condemned the unilateral decisions taken by the Israeli Government and the Knesset aimed at putting an end to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA activities and refused to recognize them. Israel must fulfil its international obligations and allow ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to continue its activities in accordance with its mandate. The Commissioner-General had said (see A/C.4/79/SR.24) that he had not received any evidence supporting the allegations made, and that had provided a full list of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA personnel to Israel, which had expressed no opposition at that time. It was surprising that Israel could have suddenly discovered that all those individuals had links to terrorism. It should also be recalled that, according to the independent review, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA possessed a more developed approach to neutrality than other similar United Nations or non-governmental entities.
42. Ms. Abdelhady (Observer for the State of Palestine) said that her delegation, along with the absolute majority of delegations that had addressed the Committee over the past three days, had affirmed that ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA was indispensable. Her delegation had insisted on the Agency¡¯s importance for the survival of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the rest of occupied Palestine, including East Jerusalem; for the dignity and sustenance of millions of Palestine refugees; for preventing further instability in the region; and for fulfilment of the international community¡¯s collective obligations under international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations. The State of Palestine had called, and would continue to call, for decisive and collective action to preserve ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, to defeat any attempt to destroy it and to provide the Agency with the resources required for its vital humanitarian mandate. Other countries had issued the same calls, in the Committee, in the General Assembly, in the Security Council and at every juncture when the issue of the ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA mandate had been raised. As the Committee had just heard, and would continue to hear, Israel had an obsession with Hamas and attributed everything to the events of 7 October 2023 in an attempt to justify its crimes against the Palestinian people, against ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and against the United Nations as a whole. International law and the international community¡¯s position on the issue meant nothing to Israel. As the General Assembly had continued to extend the Agency¡¯s mandate in the absence of a solution to the question of the Palestine refugees, Israel had responded with further attacks and incitement. The facts had been established in the OIOS investigation and the independent review, but that also meant nothing to Israel.
43. Thousands of Palestinian national staff of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA had served and continued to serve honourably. The representatives of Israel, however, continued to incite against ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and against the Palestine refugees on the basis of the alleged actions of a few, ignoring the accountability measures already taken by the Agency against the accused. In some instances, the Agency had acted even without substantiated evidence in an attempt to protect itself against the onslaught by Israel, clearly to no avail.
44. The occupying Power, as it had reaffirmed in the past three days, insisted on attacking the Agency and would clearly not cease its attacks on ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA personnel and premises despite the affirmations of international support for ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and the international community¡¯s demands for an end to the attacks.
45. The State of Palestine would not relent in its defence of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA; nor would many other delegations, as indicated in their statements in the past three days. Her delegation had a duty to protect its people and ensure their sustenance until their rights could be realized. It would not submit to the threats and attacks by Israel. The international community should also stand firm and reject the evil, illegal and destructive Israeli plans against ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, against the Palestine refugees and against the Palestinian people as a whole and their right to live in peace, security, freedom and dignity in their homeland. Israel could not continue to get away with its actions.
46. Mr. Alajmi (Kuwait) said that his delegation was obliged to debunk the fallacies and false narratives that the Committee had heard, time and again, about ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. The situation had not begun on 7 October 2023; the occupying Power had for many years pursued its ultimate goal of dismantling ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA. He failed to understand why the Committee continued to listen to the false narratives about ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA even after an independent review had been conducted, the OIOS and the Secretary-General had promptly responded to accusations against the Agency and ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA had taken immediate action to address them. Given that the occupying Power had accused the United Nations of aiding and abetting terrorism, it was difficult to understand why the international community would take anything it said at face value.

The meeting rose at 11.35 a.m.