Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks for the ministerial meeting on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in New York today:
I thank Brazil, Jordan and Spain for co-chairing this ministerial meeting.
I stress once more my abiding support for Palestine refugees and the vital mandate given to UNRWA. And I commend those Member States that have been steadfast in backing the Agency’s work.
Palestine refugees face acute and persistent perils across this turbulent region. In Gaza, the resumption of assistance since the ceasefire was announced last October has brought some relief — but conditions remain intolerable.
Continued Israeli attacks have killed an average of four people per day, a quarter of them children. International law, including international humanitarian law, is brazenly violated.
Humanitarian access remains severely restricted, and the level of human suffering is still off the charts. Food is scarce. Shelter is in short supply. Rodents are rampant.
In the occupied West Bank, record levels of settler attacks and relentless efforts to expand settlements are pushing Palestinian communities to the breaking point. Such actions are unlawful and unjust — and pose an existential threat to the only way forward, the two-State solution. With two independent, sovereign, democratic States — Israel and Palestine — living side by side in peace and security, within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States — in line with international law, relevant UN resolutions and previous agreements.
Lebanon faces enormous challenges in the wake of destructive air strikes, extensive Israeli ground operations and massive displacement, including of Palestine refugees. In Syria, Palestine refugees are slowly trying to rebuild their lives and communities after 13 years of conflict and destruction. And Jordan, host to millions of Palestine refugees, is working to ensure their well-being amid significant regional upheaval.
In this volatile context, UNRWA remains a critical stabilizing presence. For many Palestine refugees, it is not just a lifeline in times of crisis.
It is the nurse who vaccinated them in childhood or changed the dressing on their wounds. The doctor who administers treatment when they are sick or provides expert care during the birth of a child. The teacher who gave them the knowledge, skills and hope to build a better future. The sanitation workers who help keep their community clean. The engineers who repair local infrastructure, pipes and water wells. And the clerks who record births, marriages and deaths — preserving cherished family histories and rights.
Across decades, in highly challenging environments, UNRWA has provided essential public services and prepared Palestine refugees for a more peaceful and dignified future. But its mandate and work are in jeopardy.
For years now, UNRWA has been forced to operate under extraordinary pressure.
I have repeatedly condemned in the strongest terms the appalling attacks by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups against Israel on 7 October 2023. Since then, UNRWA’s personnel in Gaza have endured terrible loss and hardship. Nearly 400 members of its workforce have been killed. Hundreds of its premises remain inaccessible, severely damaged, or utterly destroyed.
In occupied East Jerusalem, we have seen schools and health centres forcibly closed. Electricity and water supplies cut. UNRWA’s headquarters unlawfully entered and bulldozed. And its oldest vocational facility, the Kalandia Training Centre, unlawfully entered and held by Israeli authorities, including security forces.
These actions are wholly unacceptable and inconsistent with Israel’s obligations under international law, including the Charter of the UN and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.
Through it all, a ceaseless political campaign has tried to manipulate public perceptions, undermine UNRWA’s ability to operate and deny the rights of Palestine refugees.
The Agency is excluded from coordination meetings. Visas for its personnel are no longer granted by Israel. Its employees are subjected to intimidation.
It also faces a severe financial crisis, with a cash shortfall of $100 million. This deficit puts its operations at risk and threatens the welfare of millions of Palestine refugees.
UNRWA is making every effort to overcome these constraints. And acting Commissioner-General Saunders has my full support as he guides the Agency through this challenging period.
The General Assembly renewed UNRWA’s mandate in December for three years. But, its capacity to act is seriously imperilled.
The status quo is untenable. Regional stability is at stake. And Member States must take immediate action.
I am counting on your unwavering political and financial support. To protect UNRWA’s mandate. To protect Palestine refugees and safeguard their rights. And to provide the resources and operational space required to sustain the Agency’s life-saving work.
Together, we can deliver for Palestine refugees and open a pathway to peace.