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UNRWA committed to continue offering services to Palestine refugees, Commissioner says

June 2, 2022 at 3:25 pm

Commissioner General of the United Nations Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini on 26 November 2020 [Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency]

The Commissioner-General of UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Wednesday, that his organisation is committed to offering services to all Palestine refugees, Safa News Agency reported.

Following a meeting with representatives of the Palestinian factions in Gaza to discuss his recent remarks about ideas to commission host countries to offer aid to the Palestinian refugees, Larrarini reiterated UNRWA’s commitment to offering services to all refugees.

The Palestinian factions asked Lazzarini not to change the power and mission of the UNRWA, and not to practice politics through his role as a Chief of a humanitarian body.

In addition, they asked him to stop speaking about his ideas, mainly before the advisors’ committee slated to convene in Beirut this month or before the UN General Assembly when it discusses the renewal of the UNRWA’s commission before the end of this year.

READ: Palestinian factions call for UNRWA not to shift duties to host nations

Meanwhile, the Palestinian factions asked Lazzarini to look for new resources for the UNRWA’s budget, instead of looking for other sides to take up responsibilities of the refugee body.

Lazzarini reiterated to the Palestinian factions that none of the UNRWA’s powers, services or programmes would be moved to any other regional or international body or the host countries.

He insisted that the UNRWA would remain the sole supplier of services for the Palestinian refugees in the field of jobs and relief, and there would not be any reduction of its mission or programmes.

Then, he called for the international community to commit to its financial pledges to ensure the retention of stable and sustainable funding for the UNRWA’s programmes in order to continue carrying out its mission towards the Palestinian refugees.