Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), said that the organization is the backbone of the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip and will remain necessary pending a political solution to the Palestinian issue.
In his speech today, Monday, in Geneva, before a meeting of the agency’s advisory committee, which meets twice a year, Lazzarini pointed out that the establishment of UNRWA was a temporary measure awaiting a political solution to the issue, and it exists today because a political solution does not exist to provide vital public services.
Lazzarini stressed that if the international community committed to reaching a political solution, UNRWA could resume its role in supporting a time-bound transition process to provide education, primary health care and social support.
The UNRWA Commissioner noted that the committee meets at a time of tremendous change in the occupied Palestinian territory and the region in general.
He said, “While Gaza was destroyed during the current war, the agency that has been an engine for human development for Palestinian refugees since its establishment also paid a heavy price after 193 of its employees were killed.”
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