AhlulBayt News Agency: UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini stated that Israel’s targeting of the agency’s headquarters, particularly in East Jerusalem, represents a “flagrant violation of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations.”
Speaking at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva on Monday, Lazzarini emphasized that in the complex operational environment of the occupied Palestinian territory, UNRWA’s humanitarian and development work has been under continuous attack.
He highlighted that even after 75 years, and in the absence of a political solution, UNRWA continues to deliver vital public-like services such as healthcare and education to millions of Palestine refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
The UNRWA chief explained that last week Israeli police and municipal authorities forcibly entered the agency’s headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem, seized assets, and replaced the UN flag with an Israeli flag.
He further noted that more than 380 UNRWA staff members have been killed in Gaza, and over 300 facilities have been damaged or destroyed in the past two years.
Lazzarini added that Israeli domestic legislation has effectively expelled UNRWA’s international staff from the occupied Palestinian territory.
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