the head of UNRWA wants to avoid the “disaster” of the disappearance of the agency for Palestinian refugees

Can UNRWA go out of business? This is the fear of the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees. And Israel’s wish.

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Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, the UN humanitarian agency in the Gaza Strip.  (KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP)

UNRWA, the main humanitarian organization still present in the Gaza Strip, has been in danger since 12 of its employees were accused of having participated in the October 7 attacks. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of this UN agency, whose funding has been severely weakened, was heard by diplomats in Geneva on Tuesday February 13.

He calls for UNRWA’s funding not to be cut, otherwise it would cause another humanitarian catastrophe. It would be a “disaster”, he says. Faced with the controversy, the Secretary General of the United Nations asked Catherine Colonna to carry out an investigation into the accusations against UNRWA. An action supported by Philippe Lazzarini, who nevertheless asks that it observe all violations, not just those of Hamas.

He calls for an expanded investigation

“We must investigate all the times when UN facilities have been disrespected. More than 150 of our buildings have been hit, hundreds of people have died in these strikes. All of this must be addressed. ‘an independent investigation. As the accusation of the tunnels must be [du Hamas]”he explains.

Another objective for Philippe Lazzarini: ensuring the financial stability of UNRWA. Several countries have frozen their funding while awaiting the results of the investigation. But the agency doesn’t have time to wait for the conclusions. If it does not find money quickly, UNRWA could cease its activities by the end of the month.

The report is not expected before the end of March, but it is already under attack from Israel, which considers the mandate of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs too broad. Tel Aviv accuses the agency of serving as a stepping stone for Hamas. Even harsher grievances after the discovery, again according to Tel Aviv, of a tunnel under the main UNRWA building in Gaza. “UNRWA is part of the problem, not the solution”insisted the Israeli ambassador to the UN.


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