<\/p>\n
\u0639\u0631\u0628\u064a<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n New York, 24 September 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n [as delivered]<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n I thank Brazil, Jordan, and Spain for co-chairing this Ministerial meeting.<\/p>\n I stress once more my abiding support for Palestine refugees and the vital mandate given to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA.<\/p>\n And I commend those Member States that have been steadfast in backing the Agency\u2019s work.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Palestine refugees face acute and persistent perils across this turbulent region.<\/p>\n In Gaza, the resumption of assistance since the ceasefire was announced last October has brought some relief \u2014 but conditions remain intolerable.<\/p>\n Continued Israeli attacks have killed an average of four people per day, a quarter of them children.<\/p>\n International law, including international humanitarian law, is brazenly violated.<\/p>\n Humanitarian access remains severely restricted, and the level of human suffering is still off the charts.<\/p>\n Food is scarce. Shelter is in short supply. Rodents are rampant.<\/p>\n In the occupied West Bank, record levels of settler attacks and relentless efforts to expand settlements are pushing Palestinian communities to the breaking point.<\/p>\n Such actions are unlawful and unjust \u2014 and pose an existential threat to the only way forward, the two-State solution.<\/p>\n With two independent, sovereign, democratic States \u2014 Israel and Palestine \u2014 living side by side in peace and security, within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States \u2014 in line with international law, relevant Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ resolutions, and previous agreements.<\/p>\n Lebanon faces enormous challenges in the wake of destructive airstrikes, extensive Israeli ground operations, and massive displacement, including of Palestine refugees.<\/p>\n In Syria, Palestine refugees are slowly trying to rebuild their lives and communities after 13 years of conflict and destruction.<\/p>\n And Jordan, host to millions of Palestine refugees, is working to ensure their wellbeing amid significant regional upheaval.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n In this volatile context, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA remains a critical stabilizing presence.<\/p>\n For many Palestine refugees, it is not just a lifeline in times of crisis.<\/p>\n It is the nurse who vaccinated them in childhood or changed the dressing on their wounds.<\/p>\n The doctor who administers treatment when they are sick or provides expert care during the birth of a child.<\/p>\n The teacher who gave them the knowledge, skills, and hope to build a better future.<\/p>\n The sanitation workers who help keep their community clean.<\/p>\n The engineers who repair local infrastructure, pipes, and water wells.<\/p>\n And the clerks who record births, marriages, and deaths \u2014 preserving cherished family histories and rights.<\/p>\n Across decades, in highly challenging environments, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA has provided essential public services and prepared Palestine refugees for a more peaceful and dignified future.<\/p>\n But its mandate and work are in jeopardy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n For years now, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA has been forced to operate under extraordinary pressure.<\/p>\n I have repeatedly condemned in the strongest terms the appalling attacks by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups against Israel on 7 October 2023.<\/p>\n Since then, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s personnel in Gaza have endured terrible loss and hardship.<\/p>\n Nearly 400 members of its workforce have been killed.<\/p>\n Hundreds of its premises remain inaccessible, severely damaged, or utterly destroyed.<\/p>\n In occupied East Jerusalem, we have seen schools and health centres forcibly closed.<\/p>\n Electricity and water supplies cut.<\/p>\n Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s headquarters unlawfully entered and bulldozed.<\/p>\n And its oldest vocational facility, the Kalandia Training Centre, unlawfully entered and held by Israeli authorities, including security forces.<\/p>\n These actions are wholly unacceptable and inconsistent with Israel\u2019s obligations under international law, including the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.<\/p>\n Through it all, a ceaseless political campaign has tried to manipulate public perceptions, undermine Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s ability to operate, and deny the rights of Palestine refugees.<\/p>\n The Agency is excluded from coordination meetings. Visas for its personnel are no longer granted by Israel. Its employees are subjected to intimidation.<\/p>\n It also faces a severe financial crisis, with a cash shortfall of 100 million dollars.<\/p>\n This deficit puts its operations at risk and threatens the welfare of millions of Palestine refugees.<\/p>\n Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA is making every effort to overcome these constraints.<\/p>\n And acting Commissioner-General Saunders has my full support as he guides the Agency through this challenging period.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n The General Assembly renewed Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s mandate in December for three years.<\/p>\n But its capacity to act is seriously imperilled.<\/p>\n The status quo is untenable.<\/p>\n Regional stability is at stake.<\/p>\n And Member States must take immediate action.<\/p>\n I am counting on your unwavering political and financial support.<\/p>\n To protect Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s mandate.<\/p>\n To protect Palestine refugees and safeguard their rights.<\/p>\n And to provide the resources and operational space required to sustain the Agency\u2019s lifesaving work.<\/p>\n Together, we can deliver for Palestine refugees and open a pathway to peace.<\/p>\n Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u0639\u0631\u0628\u064a THE SECRETARY-GENERAL REMARKS FOR THE MINISTERIAL MEETING ON THE Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA) New York, 24 September 2026 [as delivered] Excellencies, I thank Brazil, Jordan, and Spain for co-chairing this Ministerial meeting. I stress once more my abiding support for Palestine refugees […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":299,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[723,909,1134],"document-category":[1338],"document-source":[5352,1817],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1945,2005,1741,1745,6891],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6544,6542],"class_list":["post-320309","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","country-brazil","country-jordan","country-spain","document-category-statement","document-source-secretary-general","document-source-united-nations-relief-and-works-agency-for-palestine-refugees-in-the-near-east-unrwa","document-subject-assistance","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","document-subject-refugees-and-displaced-persons","document-subject-unrwa","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-arabic","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/320309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/299"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/320309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":320324,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/320309\/revisions\/320324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=320309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=320309"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=320309"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=320309"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=320309"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=320309"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=320309"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=320309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}THE SECRETARY-GENERAL<\/strong><\/h3>\n
REMARKS FOR THE MINISTERIAL MEETING ON THE Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA)<\/strong><\/h3>\n