UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed today that there is no alternative to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), noting that 118 countries that support it see it as indispensable in light of Israeli efforts to dismantle it. "My appeal to everyone is this: Protect UNRWA, protect UNRWA staff, and protect UNRWA's mandate -- including through funding," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a pledging conference at the UN headquarters in New York aimed at increasing contributions to the Agency. He explained that the UN agency is also being targeted through other means, as its employees are subjected to increasingly violent protests, disinformation campaigns and malicious media blackout, noting that Israeli security forces have arrested some of them, and reports have emerged of their mistreatment and torture. Guterres also stated that UNRWA employees in the West Bank and their movements are highly restricted by the Israeli authorities, noting that 118 countries ha ve signed a joint commitment to support and enhance financial and political support for UNRWA. Relatedly, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour said in his speech before the conference that Palestinians are not lesser human beings, adding that they deserve the same rights, respect and consideration. It is worth noting that UNRWA has been facing restrictions from several parties, prompting it to issue warnings that if the suspension of granted funds continues, it will be unable to carry on its operations in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, or the three other countries in the region where it currently operates. Source: Qatar News Agency
Related Posts
Injuries, Arrests Among Palestinians in Several Parts of West Bank
Two young Palestinians were injured by Israeli occupation forces’ bullets in the city of Hebron, south of the occupied West Bank.
Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) said that two young men were injured by the occupation forces’ bullets, whi…
HH the Amir Leaves Norway Heading to Finland
HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani left Oslo on Wednesday after an official visit to the Kingdom of Norway, heading to Helsinki on an official visit to the Republic of Finland.
HH the Amir is accompanied by an official delegation.
Source: …
Qatar, Jordan Discuss Enhancing Joint Security Cooperation
HE Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Security Affairs Sheikh Nayef bin Faleh Al-Thani met in Amman, Jordan, with HE Minister of Interior of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Mazin Abdellah Al Farrayeh.
During the meeting, they di…