Amman, November 18 (Petra) – Eng. Rafiq Kharfan, Director General of the Department of Palestinian Affairs, stated that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has been a crucial lifeline for Palestinian refugees since 1949, yet is now facing a systematic campaign by Israel aimed at politically undermining the agency, questioning its legitimacy, and targeting its credibility.

Kharfan's remarks came during his participation in the UNRWA Advisory Commission meetings on Monday, held at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva. About 30 countries participated in the meetings, including Arab countries hosting Palestinian refugees, donor countries, the European Community, and the Arab League, with Spain chairing the commission, Jordan serving as First Vice President, and Brazil as Second Vice President.

Addressing the complex context under which the meetings took place, Kharfan pointed out the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, which has lasted more than a year and resulted in war crimes, including the targeting of civilians, residential neighborhoods, and essential infrastructure. Despite UNRWA’s continued role, Israel has repeatedly attacked the agency, killing more than 243 of its employees and destroying vital facilities.

Kharfan condemned the Israeli Knesset's decision to ban UNRWA's operations in the occupied Palestinian territories, severing ties with the organization and stripping its employees of diplomatic privileges. He highlighted this as a clear violation of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, and the United Nations Charter.

Jordan has submitted a resolution to the Arab League, calling for a special session of the General Assembly to address the consequences of these Israeli laws, as well as an emergency session of the Security Council to issue a resolution obligating Israel to retract its actions. Furthermore, the resolution urges the suspension of Israel’s participation as an occupying power in United Nations meetings.

Kharfan praised the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II and the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates in garnering international support to ensure UNRWA’s continued operation. He emphasized that UNRWA is an indispensable international agency until a just and comprehensive solution for Palestinian refugees is achieved, in accordance with United Nations Resolution 194 of 1948.

He also referenced the Arab-Islamic Summit’s statement in Riyadh, which condemned Israel’s racist laws and called for United Nations sanctions against Israel, urging member states to take action to protect Palestinian refugees' rights and ensure UNRWA’s work continues.

Kharfan underscored Jordan’s firm rejection of assigning any party to take over UNRWA's role and called for continued political and financial support to counter Israel's campaign and enable the agency to fulfill its mission.

//Petra// AJ

18/11/2024 14:16:56