Lazzarini: Efforts to dissolve UNRWA have political motives

WORLD, April 28 (YPA) – The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini, said that some countries want to dismantle the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for political reasons, which could undermine efforts to create a Palestinian state.

“I clearly brought on the attention of the [UN] Member States the fact that we have to push back because the real intention to dismantle the agency is of a political nature, which could in the future undermine effort leading to a political solution and to a true Palestinian state solution,” he said in statement on Sunday.

According to the agency’s chief, more than 80% of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza believe that if UNRWA is dissolved, it will not be possible to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli issue through the creation of two states.

“I do believe that the effort to dismantle UNRWA will continue, but the primary objective of this effort is of a political nature. It’s to try to strip the Palestinians from their refugee status, and this has been clearly articulated now by the Israel representative at the Security Council last week,” he added.

“UNRWA is perpetuating the refugee problem. But it’s not UNRWA perpetuating the refugee problem, it’s the absence of a political solution which perpetuates the refugee status,” he explained.

Lazzarini pointed out that he was not aware of a formal Israeli proposal to the UN to disband UNRWA and transfer its staff to another agency, as has been reported in the media.

“UNRWA cannot be replaced by another entity at the moment, as also no organization, which can step in and provide access to primary health or access to education the way we do. Only a functioning government or administration could do that,” he underscored.

He stressed that “the only one who will be able to take over will be the future state of Palestine once we have a political solution.”

E.M