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UNRWA Press conference: Update on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) - 18 November 2024
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Press Conferences , Edited News | UNRWA
UNRWA Press conference: Update on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) - 18 November 2024
TRT: 04 min 50s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 18 NOVEMBER 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Speakers:
• Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General;
• Antón Leis, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development, Chair of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee, at UN Geneva.
SHOTLIST
-
- Exterior médium-wide: UN Geneva flag alley.
- Wide, UN Geneva Press room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “I confirm indeed, that they have been looting, more than 100 trucks have been looted, primarily UNRWA and the WFP. Basically, 80-90 per cent of the convoy on that day. What does it show? Well, we have been warning a long time ago about the total breakdown of civil order; until you know, four or five months ago, we still had local capacity, people who were escorting the convoy. This has completely gone.”
- Medium-wide, Press room, journalists, photographers, TV journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “You keep hearing that the agency is irreplaceable. I keep being asked why is the agency irreplaceable? In fact, it is replaceable by a functioning state, by a functioning institution and for this we need to invest even more into a political process in order to make sure that this reality would be the reality of tomorrow for the Palestinians.”
- Medium-wide, journalists, TV screens showing Mr. Lazzarini.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “If we do this and we do not have a viable alternative in place, we will create a vacuum. We will also deprive hundreds of thousands of children to the right of education, but by doing this we will also sow the seeds for more extremism, more hate in the future.”
- Medium, photographer lining up to take pictures.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: (French): « Est-ce qu’il y a aujourd’hui une autre organisation en dehors d’un état qui fonctionne pour ramener des enfants dans un environnement éducatif, la réponse est non, il n’y a personne. La même réponse vous sera donnée pour la santé primaire. »
- Medium, podium speakers, UN insignia.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Antón Leis, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development, Chair of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee, at UN Geneva: “Our intention is to provide support for an irreplaceable and indispensable - and I underline those two words, irreplaceable and indispensable - agency for six million Palestine refugees in the Middle East - not just in Gaza - in the entire Middle East. It is indispensable and irreplaceable in the absence of a political solution to the conflict because all these people depend on UNRWA for basic services such as health, education or social services.”
- Medium-wide, journalists, TV screens showing speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Antón Leis, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development, Chair of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee, at UN Geneva: “There are discussions also about what is happening on the ground, the difficulties to operate, some of the questions where were alluding to that, and the campaigns of disinformation and misinformation that go around the organization. So, it is important also to set the record straight and explain what UNRWA does and what UNRWA does differently from other UN agencies and why - and this is a reality on the ground - why UNRWA is indispensable and irreplaceable.”
- Medium-wide, journalists, TV cameras.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “Our staff in the region is deeply, deeply concerned, anxious - very - about what might happen and rightly so. We had already last week an incident where a female staff member was searched at her home by IDF soldier and when they realized that she's working for UNRWA, basically they told her, ‘How come you work for a terrorist organization?’”
- Medium-wide, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “We have a new incoming administration in the US; no one, really knows in which direction things will go. We keep hearing that promoting a lasting peace is a priority and I do not see how you can promote lasting peace without addressing the question of the Palestinians in the region. So, of course, people are extremely worried that it might go in the direction of an annexation, but annexation wouldn't mean a lasting peace in the region if you haven’t addressed the question of the Palestinians.”
- Medium, TV journalist taking footage.
- Medium, journalists.
- Medium-wide, journalists, TV cameras and video journalists.
Lazzarini: Annexation of Gaza won’t create lasting peace in Middle East
The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, confirmed on Monday that a large convoy of humanitarian aid was looted inside Gaza at the weekend, amid a near-total a breakdown in law and order and harassment of the agency’s staff by Israeli soldiers.
“More than 100 trucks have been looted, primarily [carrying goods for] UNRWA and the WFP, basically, 80-90 per cent of the convoy on that day,” said Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General.
“What does it show? Well, we have been warning a long time ago about the total breakdown of civil order; until you know, four or five months ago, we still had local capacity, people who were escorting the convoy. This has completely gone.”
According to UNRWA, the incident happened on Saturday and involved a 109-truck convoy. “The vast majority of the trucks, 97 in total, were lost and drivers were forced at gunpoint to unload aid,” it said in an online post on X.
“The Israeli authorities continue to disregard their legal obligations under international law to ensure the population's basic needs are met and to facilitate the safe delivery of aid,” the UN agency insisted. “Such responsibilities continue when trucks enter the Gaza Strip, until people are reached with essential assistance.”
In addition to ongoing deadly Israeli bombardment – including of a residential building in northern Beit Lahia at the weekend which left dozens dead including children – UNRWA said that critical shortages of flour had forced all eight UN-supported bakeries in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis to operate “at diminished capacity for weeks. Many have been forced to shut down entirely. Without immediate intervention, severe food shortages are set to worsen, further endangering the lives of over two million people who depend on humanitarian aid to survive.”
Speaking in Geneva on the sidelines of a meeting of the Advisory Committee which is tasked with advising and assisting UNRWA in carrying out its mandate, Mr. Lazzarini reiterated his warning – echoed widely by the international community – that Israeli efforts to dismantle the agency would have terrible consequences on Gazans who rely on it for education, healthcare and livelihoods, unless a viable alternative were put in place.
“I keep being asked why is the agency irreplaceable? In fact, it is replaceable by a functioning state…if we do this and we do not have a viable alternative in place, we will create a vacuum. We will also deprive hundreds of thousands of children to the right of education, but by doing this we will also sow the seeds for more extremism, more hate in the future.”
Echoing that message, Antón Leis, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development and Chair of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee insisted that UNRWA was “irreplaceable and indispensable…for six million Palestine refugees in the Middle East - not just in Gaza - in the entire Middle East”.
Mr. Leis underscored the negative impact of an ongoing disinformation campaign targeting UNRWA and stressed the need to explain the agency’s crucial grassroots work across the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
“It is important also to set the record straight and explain what UNRWA does and what UNRWA does differently from other UN agencies and why - and this is a reality on the ground - why UNRWA is indispensable and irreplaceable.”
Mr. Lazzarini noted that the diplomatic and political campaign against UNRWA was impacting staff on the ground, too: “We had already last week an incident where a female staff member was searched at her home by [an Israel Defense Forces] soldier and when they realized that she's working for UNRWA, basically they told her, ‘How come you work for a terrorist organization?’”
Asked what the election of Donald Trump might change, the UNRWA chief maintained the need to listen to the aspirations of Palestinians. “We keep hearing that promoting a lasting peace is a priority and I do not see how you can promote lasting peace without addressing the question of the Palestinians in the region. So, of course, people are extremely worried that it might go in the direction of an annexation, but annexation wouldn't mean a lasting peace in the region if you haven’t addressed the question of the Palestinians.”
Teleprompter
Hi, everyone. Thanks for having us today. And good to see all of you.
Some of you, Um, first time in person. So,
um, good afternoon to you all. Uh, sorry. We're a few minutes late. Um, I will first
pass on the floor to
OK, maybe before that,
Uh, just in terms of format, because Alessandra is not around today. Um,
when we close, when you ask questions, please introduce yourselves.
Let me first pass on the floor to
Mr Anton
LA.
He is the Secretary general and executive director of
the Spanish Agency for International Cooper Operation and Development.
And also the chair of the
UN.
Ok,
yes.
Uh,
good morning, everyone.
I am here as the chair of the outcome in probably what
could be the most important advisory commission meeting in several years.
Given the unprecedented situation
that UNRWA is experiencing, that the region is experiencing that
we are, we are seeing number one because
there is a complicated situation created by the adoption of legislation in the
Knesset that job
paradise is for the first time in history, U NRW operation in the West Bank,
including East Jerusalem, where the agency's headquarters are located, and also
in Gaza, but also because the situation on the ground,
as we heard this morning from UN
W a staff is as dire as it has been
since October 7th
we have taken.
Spain has taken over this chairmanship as part of
an active engagement for peace in the region.
Our intention is to provide support for an irreplaceable and indispensable,
and I underline those two words irreplaceable and indispensable
agency for 6 million Palestine refugees in the Middle East,
not just in Gaza in the entire Middle East.
It
is indispensable and irreplaceable in the absence
of a political solution to the conflict.
Because all these people depend on UNRWA for basic services such as health,
education or social services.
Let me be very clear.
UNRWA is like no other UN agency.
No other UN agency has the mandate of almost a quasi government providing
those services.
The UNRWA S mandate was established and has been continually extended
under Article seven of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302
which includes the provision of services,
assistance and protection for Palestine refugees in five fields of operation.
Until there is a just
and durable solution to the plight of
Palestine refugees in accordance with international law.
There is simply no alternative to UNRWA.
It has a key and fundamental role in providing education,
providing health relief and social services to Palestine refugees
and also very important as well
stabilising the region or contributing to regional stability.
This is particularly the case in Gaza since
the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7th,
we all condemn UNRWA has been the backbone of the humanitarian response in the
strip and there is certainly no alternative to UNRWA to deliver aid in Gaza.
It is the only organisation that possesses the staff,
the infrastructure and the capacity to deliver life saving
assistance to Palestine refugees at the scale needed,
especially in Gaza.
But more generally,
UNRWA is indispensable as well in the West Bank and the wider
region as well. For these 6 million people,
we have a very important agenda ahead of us.
We conveyed to the commissioner general and to UNRWA colleagues, of course,
our regrets for the loss of more than 240 staff members in Gaza,
we extended our condolences to their families, friends and colleagues.
We also noticed that at least 190 UNRWA facilities
in Gaza has suffered severe damage to date.
Spain has condemned these deaths and the
destruction of health and educational facilities.
Yet it's also remarkable and we congratulated
the organisation that despite all of this,
UN R A has worked tirelessly to assist the civilian population in Gaza
and just to give one example,
156,000 Children have been vaccinated against polio
by UNRWA over the last two months.
The agenda for today and tomorrow is quite complete.
We will have briefings on the situation and U
NRW A's activities in Gaza and the overall region,
including Lebanon, which is of course, very concerning.
Also for Palestine refugees,
there are three key points.
First, of course we will discuss the situation created by the Knesset legislation
and I think what we intend to do there is to affirm our strong support for the agency
in continuing its vital work Pursuant to the mandate,
there is a strong opposition to the legislation adopted and of course,
a grave concern that if implemented,
the legislation would have far reaching consequences,
effectively stopping U NRW A's operation in the West Bank,
including east Jerusalem
and the fact of preventing U NRW A's vital operations in Gaza,
which would risk also setting a dangerous precedent that will undermine
the work of the United Nations and the multilateral system.
And indeed, this is not just about the West Bank and Gaza.
It is not just about the Middle East. It is not just about UNRWA. It
is about the UN charter and international law. More broadly.
Second,
we will discuss today how to counter the massive
amounts of disinformation and misinformation against U NRW,
and we will provide the agency with some recommendations,
hopefully on how to respond to that,
stressing in particular this unique mandate and position that UNRWA has
as a UN agency because there is no other organisation like UN
W
and Third,
we will continue to discuss the internal governance of UNRWA and the continued
efforts undertaken by the Commissioner General
and his team to strengthen neutrality,
including through the implementation of the
recommendations made in the COLONA report.
The agency has made progress
will continue to address the remaining
recommendations in the the Colonial Report.
We will continue to work closely with
the Commissioner General and the organisation on this
and on broader governance reforms. We will also
try to provide guidance and advice on how
to strengthen U NRW A's financial position and
improve the governance structure of the agency or
how to enhance partnerships with other organisations.
that is our role as chair of Fundo.
Let me be also very clear in Spain.
Or speaking of Spain, we are deeply committed to peace in the Middle East
we have been strong proponents of the two state solution.
We see of course the continuity of U NRW A's activities as crucial in that effort.
And we stand ready to provide U NRW all the support needed financially, of course.
And this year we have provided €23.5 million
which is a historical high for the organisation
but also politically.
And that is also why we have taken on this role of chairmanship of the outcome.
Thank you so much.
Can you hear me? Ok,
thank you so much, Mr Mr La
and thank you for
the generosity and the support of Spain to U
and Palestine refugees
Mr Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner General of U,
over
to please
thank you so much pleasure to be with you and Thank you, Minister Li.
It's
it was correct.
It was correct
for
me.
Sorry about that.
But again.
Thank you, Minister.
And thank you to Spain
first for the chairmanship of the outcome
but also for stewarding the support with other member states
to the agency both politically but also financially.
Um, Spain has been very involved also
in New York with other member states.
When it comes to the joint commitment to the agency,
you said a lot, So I will just be a little bit briefer and give more time for the
Q and a
today.
As you know, I was
at the
last week at the Force Committee
because
of the unprecedented time the agency is going through,
which I have described as being certainly the darkest moment for the agency,
but also for the Palestinian refugees across the region.
You have all followed recently
the adoption of the tune
Bill on 28 October.
I have drawn the attention of the member states that now the clock is ticking.
Basically, it's a three months deadline.
I have shared with member states our free ask the first one being we have to stop
or prevent the implementation of this bill.
Secondly, once this implementation of this bill is put on hold, we
need to delineate
the role of the agency
within a political pathway leading to the
two state solution leading to an empowered Palestinian
authorities.
As minister
said,
You keep hearing that the agency is irreplaceable.
I keep being asked why is the agency irreplaceable?
In fact, it is replaceable by a functioning state by functioning institution,
and for this we need to invest even more into a political process
in order to make sure that this reality would
be the reality of tomorrow for the Palestinians.
But we are
irreplaceable for any other United Nations organisation
because there is no
United Nations Organisation which has been geared
to provide public like services
like
there is absolutely no
UN agency which would provide primary,
primary or secondary education
to hundreds of thousands of girls
or boys anywhere in the world but also across the region.
So my message to the member state has also been, Please make sure
that we are not throwing the baby with the water
at the same time,
because if we do this and we do not have a viable alternative in place, we will create
a vacuum.
We will also deprive hundreds of thousands of Children to the right of education.
But by doing this we will also sow the seeds for more extremism. More hate
in
the future.
So
what is at stake?
It's not.
You heard from me many times because I might
also ask about what are the political object.
What are the objectives
behind the dismantlement of the agency?
And you heard me talking about the aim of
stripping the Palestinians from the refugee statue through this,
also undermining the aspiration
of the Palestinians for self determination but
also undermining the efforts of the international community
to a two state solution.
On this one,
we have to be clear.
Even if
UW
today
would seize its operation,
the Statue of Refugee would remain.
Why so? Because the statute of Palestinian refugees
is determined in General Assembly Resolution 194
whereas the activities and the mandate of the agency is defined
in a different ga
resolution which was basically
adopted later.
I keep being asked either yes or no
plan. B.
There is no plan B within the UN agency within the UN family
because There is no other agency
geared to provide the same activities
and in reality,
UN
W A is the response of the international
community to the plight of the Palestinian refugees
through
the mandate provided by
the
resolution.
So if there is
no UN or international community response,
the responsibility will go back to the occupying power being Israel.
And that's where we have to ask. Where does the plan B sit today?
I
would like
just to
continent
by saying that we can already feel
the impact of these laws.
Our staff in the region
is deeply, deeply
concerned,
anxious,
worried
about what might happen
and rightly so.
We had already last week
an incident where
a female staff member
was searched at her home
by IDF soldiers
and when they realised that she's working for UN
Hua,
basically
they told her, How come
you work for a terrorist organisation?
They ask for access to all the data
in the computer in total violation of our
immunity and privileges.
And then she was brought for
interrogation
interrogation for a few hours,
uncuffed
too opposed. This, of course, creates
a lot of anxiety. It's not just an anxiety regarding
the
job security or the livelihood
talking about this
only in the occupied Palestinian territory.
We have 17,000 staff
and we are the second
main
employer of a Palestinian after the Palestinian
Authority.
I think I will
stop
here. Thank
you.
Thank you, Mr Lazzarini. We will open the floor for questions also for Mr Anton
La
Rolando here, who is a great friend and a colleague is also going to help us with
any questions for those who are online with us.
With that, we open the floor, please because I don't know most of you
and I'm not Alessandro.
Please introduce yourselves and say,
uh which news agency or news outlet you work with?
We start with the gentleman over there, please.
Sorry.
OK,
Deadline.
I think both right.
You can do like half, half if you wish.
Increase
so
S
as
activity.
Refugee
A
casualty of this war.
Esa
esa
Duma.
Too ammonia possible.
All right. Thanks very much. And the gentleman on the third row
to the right place. Monsieur
La
Madame de
Mercy.
Sorry to
interrupt. Can you please introduce yourself? Which media outlet are you with?
Sorry.
Thank you very much.
Uh,
it
could
de
she
dam
near
cio avec
de
la noria.
But
certain
one alternative,
we
la
la
la
la la
in
treasure,
the
EY
de
de consequence
a
su
no, no, no.
Les refugee Palestinians.
Thank you very much. Um, Mr Li, did you want to add anything on that one?
Thanks
the
Thank you, Mr
Les.
Um, we will go next to IFP, please.
Thank you very much for the question. And Nina Larson, the FP.
Um
I was wondering if you could say something about, um whether you've heard any, uh,
concrete things from various countries about how they
might be able to step up and help,
uh, block this move by the, uh, by Israel.
Um, that you're calling for if you you've seen any signs.
Um, and especially, uh, the US was was critical of it, but that might shift,
uh, with the change of administration coming in in January.
I don't know how you would counter that.
And finally, I was just wondering if you could say something about, um what impact?
You mentioned it briefly, but the impact on
una Ross, uh, employees on the ground in
Jerusalem or or otherwise, um, how If if this ban does take effect, Um,
how will that impact them in practise.
But when they talk,
click on the
the impact on
our staff
and whether you've heard from
Yes,
thank you.
listen, I just come back from, uh,
New York, where there are quite a lot of activities going on.
Um, last week there was an informal general Assembly meeting dedicated on un,
which was triggered by the letter I sent to the president.
Then this week, we had the first committee.
Number of discussions also
are taking place about
whether
to submit a
question
to the
International Court of Justice.
First of all, the legality of the decision regarding
regarding the loans since a few months ago,
the
has ruled the occupation being illegal.
Can you, in a context where the occupation has been ruled illegal, take
a decision
to ban the agency.
There are also other discussions which are alluded for the time being,
about triggering
some dispute mechanism
through the General Assembly and also the
so All these discussions now are taking place
among member states,
and there will also be an emergency session in December.
now,
yes, of course. We have a new
incoming administration in the US
No. One. No one really knows
in which direction things will go.
We keep hearing
that
promoting a
lasting peace is a priority,
and I do not see how you can promote lasting peace
without addressing the question of the Palestinians in the region.
So, of course,
people are extremely worried that it might go in the direction of an accession.
But annexation
wouldn't mean a lasting peace in the region.
Having addressed the question of the Palestinians,
it can take a different direction,
which goes much more through a number of normalisation process in the region
for which expectations are that the issue of Palestine be also addressed.
So I would say
Let's see
in the coming weeks in which direction it goes.
But this is also one of the reasons why we have approached a number of member states
to shield the agency in any proposed political pathway which would lead to
the creation of the state of Palestine,
but which would address the Palestinian question.
Last but not least,
yes, you have the first impact on our staff regarding the
job insecurity,
but beyond that, a real, real fear
that any of them could be arrested. Could be arrested,
investigated, convicted
for belonging or having war
with an organisation which in this context
is considered as being a terrorist organisation.
Many thanks. We go next to
E,
please.
Yes,
yes. Uh, good afternoon. Um,
Isabel
Sacco,
Uh, for,
uh,
my question is, maybe it's for Mr La.
Uh, I
would like to know, Um
uh, given the fact that, um is, uh,
there are many doubts on what is the position the next US administration will take,
uh,
uh towards the UN,
Um, the other partners, uh, more important partner for Israel
and could be the European countries,
which can put some pressure on Israel,
um, to avoid implementation of, uh, of the of these bills we are discussing.
So what?
The question is, what is, uh, from your perspective now,
as president of the of this advisory committee,
what is the the how united are are the Europeans now for to
take a common position O of this on this because we know that
there are some different positions, too. Among them.
What is, uh, the leverage they have,
And
what also country from the Middle East?
How How much are they ready to?
To be involved and to really take a strong position on this on
on the way they come and from other maybe develop developing countries, even
China.
Thank you.
Well, thank you. Thank you for the question.
Look, we are sharing the outcome.
There are 29 members and three observers in the room.
I cannot speak on behalf of all of them. But I did sense
in the room today a strong sense of consensus
on expressing
a
rejection of these legal moves.
And we are trying to support the commissioner General and the organisation
on any means to protect the agency and the continued operation.
So I did not sense any, uh, any type of, uh,
dissent on on or or different opinions on this.
If we look at funding as well, uh, all donors, except for one,
have resumed funding for the organisation.
So I do sense that in
among the donor countries and the host
countries that are represented in the outcome,
there is strong support for the continuation of UN W A's activities,
a strong rejection of the measures adopted,
and strong support for the work of the Commissioner
General UNRWA at this crucial point in time.
Thanks, Anton.
Next is we go to Al
Mein,
followed by Reuters and kuna.
And then we will go online for a few questions and see how we go after that
in
the
OK, Thank you. Next is the Reuters. Please.
Hi. Good afternoon. Emma Farge from Reuters. Um,
two questions, please.
Uh, one was on a looting incident at the weekend,
which seems to have been one of the worst.
Maybe the worst since the war began.
Can you tell us what this shows? And also,
do you suspect that you were in any way lured into a trap by the Israelis?
I know there was a last minute change of route
which, um, I wanted to get your opinion on, um, secondly,
is the fact, uh, maybe for Mr Lace as well.
The fact that this meeting is taking place in Geneva of any significance.
Um, does it have anything to do with your crisis?
I know it's often elsewhere, or is that just a coincidence? Thank you.
OK, we start with Mr Lazzarini about the convoy, and then we go to you. Uh,
Li.
Mr. Liz,
it seems to have more detail than I have, but
regarding the last minute change of road.
But I confirmed indeed that there have been looting.
More than 100 trucks have been looted primarily
and
basically 80 90% of the convoy on that day.
What does it show? Well,
we have been warning a long time ago about the total breakdown of civil order until,
you know, four or five months ago,
we still had local capacity people who were escorting the convoy.
This has completely gone,
which means we are
in an environment where
local gangs, local families are struggling among each other to take control of
any
business or any activities taking place in the south. It has become
an impossible environment to operate
related to this incident. We had also
hundreds of people who tried to storm
into the
vocational centre
because they thought that the food arrived there
and people were so desperate to get to have the food that they storm into
the kitties
into the vocational training centre.
But the convoys were looted,
so there was absolutely nothing to take from the warehouses
in and
thanks, Mr
Lazzarini, just to clarify Emma for you and everyone. The
Kunis Vocational Training Centre is something that is run by, um, by Andra.
And we'll come back to you on whether the route has has changed of of the convoy.
A little bit later, Mr. Lace. Over to you?
Yes. On the question of Geneva. Why Geneva? Uh, as normal rules of UN
W a apply. These meetings take place in the Middle East, in the region in Jordan.
But we leave no, uh, normal times.
And of course,
there is a significance in having this meeting in
the birthplace of international law and international humanitarian law,
which is Geneva.
We wanted to have,
uh, good attendance of, uh, from capitals.
And that's where, uh, in consultation with the organisation and the member states,
we decided to convene here in Geneva.
Thanks, Mr La. Last here for now is ka.
The
agency
from
Puna
Agency.
The
we
P.
Great. Thanks. We go online, we have a couple of questions. We start with
the German News Agency. Please go ahead.
Uh win.
Sibu.
Christian
de
la,
one
is Mr
La
Thank you. One is to Mr
La
Um
you say there's a lot of support in the room and everyone agrees.
Unlace
But
what concretely can the members of the advisory
committee do between now and January to, uh, to make sure that these laws are not, uh,
implemented.
And I have one question to Mr Lazzarini.
Can you can you
talk about what kinds of contacts you
personally have with the Israeli authorities?
And could UNRWA operate without a presence in Israel?
Could they, uh, access the Gaza Strip? Um,
I don't know from Egypt. Or is there any way that you can, uh, envi
envisage UN
a
operating without a presence in Israel? Thank you.
OK, we start with you, Mister Lace, please.
Well,
I on what it is that member states can do already convening this meeting
and agreeing on these important points and
giving guidance to the organisation is significant.
Mr. Lazzarini already mentioned a
few additional actions that are being taken
in New York. And of course, it is incumbent on each of us in our capacity to convey
to the Israeli authorities
the importance of suspending the application of these laws
so that we do not face the catastrophic situation
I was mentioning
before. But indeed,
all diplomatic means are at play and we are trying to do everything we can in all four.
In the UN General Assembly,
there was a meeting that the Commissioner General attended.
Of course here in the outcome that is an advisory body
but an important body to convey messages to the organisation.
In this case, it is a clear message of support and commitment to do everything we can
to stop the implementation of these laws.
Yes,
short answer. Most of the activities we won't be able to pursue, especially in Gaza,
because any movement needs to be de conflicted. Even if we would come in from
Egypt,
we would need to coordinate with the Israeli Authority and the law is very clear.
No contact policy means no contact.
They do not even want another agency to contact Israel on our behalf.
On your question what
our
my contact with Israel. The agency has contact. But as you know, a
few months ago, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has prohibited
the member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
to have direct contact with the Commissioner General.
But we have to contact
at the level of our various directors on the ground and also with my deputies
get them.
Thank you. Um, we stay online. The Associated Press, please Go ahead.
Thank you very much. Uh, this is Jamie from Associated Press.
Um, I had a question for both Mr Lazzarini and for Mr Lais.
Mr. Lais,
um, you just answered the question from, um from, uh, my colleague at DP. A.
Uh, Christiana,
Could you, um please just tell us what you expect at the end of this meeting?
Specifically? Concretely, what do you expect?
Um, and then for Mr Lazzarini,
um, you have both.
Both both been speaking about diplomatic pressure that you hope will be mobilised,
um, with regard to Israel to try to convince,
um, its authorities to to to back away from this, uh, from this from their plans.
how are you going to do that exactly?
In other words, the United States, which is a good friend of of, of, of Israel,
has been putting various forms of diplomatic pressure
on Israel over the last many months.
And
to be honest,
it it hasn't always even their best friend has not
been able to get Israel to do what it wants.
So how are you going to convince uh,
Israel to do this and particularly if I could just add to the last question in there.
What reforms?
I mean,
there's been a lot of calls for reform of
UNRWA since this decision by the Knesset was announced.
What reforms have you proposed? Planned
to convince the Israelis that
progress is being made at UNRWA. That maybe could have them back away.
Thank you so much.
Great. Thank you. Jamie.
We will start with Mr Lace The first question
on the outcomes of the meeting over to you.
Well, I think what we are expecting here is, of course,
a clear message of support by everyone that participates in UN
W A's advisory commission that is host countries and donor countries.
It is a very diverse group. There are countries
from the so called global South global
north countries that host Palestine refugees,
countries that contribute financially to the to the organisation.
So what we expect is this diverse group to
send a unified message of support to the organisation
at this crucial moment in history where the continuation of its activities
is being put into question
and a clear message also on the concern
the grave concern that these members share about the
Knesset laws if they are actually implemented.
So as the commissioner general mentioned and I said in the in the previous response,
we are using every platform, every forum available to convey those messages.
And it is only natural that the advisory commission of UNRWA that is a
body contemplated in
UN
R as go
as the one where
donor countries and host countries are represented,
that we send this message of unified support for the
continuation of the activities of the organisation and the grave concern
about the several attacks.
The organisation is suffering and of course we have been focusing
on the legal attack. But there is also
there are discussions also about what is happening on the ground,
the difficulties to operate some of the questions.
We are alluding to that
and the campaigns of disinformation and
misinformation that go around the organisation.
So it is important also to set the record straight
and explain what UNRWA does and what UNRWA
does differently from other UN agencies and why.
And this is a reality on the ground
why UR is indispensable and irreplaceable, and I think on that, let's face
it in the public opinion.
It is important to convey this message because I am not sure when
you listen to some voices that this is clearly understood on some corners.
UNRWA is like no other organisation active now in Gaza or in the broader region.
It is an organisation that is more similar to a government provides services
until the very last mile.
And that is not the case for all other
humanitarian and development partners whose work we value deeply.
And in the case of my agency, in the case of Spain, we work very closely with,
but they cannot replace the activities
is carrying out at the moment, it is simply not realistic. Thank you,
Mr Mr Lazzarini,
over to you.
Perhaps the two questions can be merged also,
because we have also other people in the room over to you.
Yeah. Thank you. Um, the two questions are quite different, but, um,
on the first one, we are given a voice.
It would be easy today
to give up,
and I do believe that we still owe
to the Palestinian refugees and their plight
to exhaust all possible
avenues.
So we will
be operating
until the day we cannot operate anymore
and
meanwhile we will exhaust all possible diplomatic avenue.
One of them I described at the beginning, is if today there is a political pathway,
just make sure
that the role of the agency is stressed clearly delineated
so that we can accompany the process
and hand over after that to an empowered Palestinian authorities.
Now, if the pathway
is goes in the opposite direction,
obviously we would
certainly not be able to go to that.
What reform the Reform Member states are referring to
in all statement at the G
are the reform related to the implementation of the
Catherine Kon
Report
encouraging the agency
to commit to encouraging the agency to implement all its recommendations.
And for this we need the support of member states.
Some of them have contributed resources to help the agency.
That's a reform in the mind
of the member states.
Thank you
very
much.
We are back in the room with Al Jazeera and then with
France
and the Lancet
organisation
International.
Um
so
work
is extreme to
the declaration
to
pass
the pass
and
situation
did
so
Palestinian
the
lady more
All
this all
this all said
OK, thanks very much. Last question in the room is for Franz Van K
to still answer it.
Please go ahead.
Sorry.
We
can get
back
to you in a
minute.
Yes. Good afternoon.
Uh, Mr Lazzarini
at, uh,
at the G 20 summit, President Lula has made the epicentre of his summit
to combat hunger globally.
As we are speaking,
you might recall, a few days ago, the I PC
five was revised upwards for famine in Gaza.
What is your message to the G 20 leaders on this issue
as I convene in closed door sessions to discuss the multilateral issues.
Thank you.
You ask what is my public message to the G 21?
You know, if that's a priority, and I hope it is
Gaza being
a manmade hunger situation
with a looming famine,
it's certainly one of the
easiest place
to make a difference.
Because in Gaza
you need
political will
to reverse this, uh, spread of hunger
and this looming famine.
Whereas in other contexts,
the response might be much more
complicated because of climate change factors.
But the straightforward
is definitely Gaza.
Thanks. Uh, Jamie, you've asked for the floor back Jamie from a P, please.
Um, go ahead. And then we come back to the room. The last question is for Anna Dulo.
Thank you very much. Uh,
Juliette, for letting me have the floor back.
Uh, Mr Lazzarini, I just wanted to understand
what you said earlier because it sounded kind of interesting.
Um, you you said that,
um that you're talking about a political pathway that could
that they could be clearly delineated so that you can
accompany a process to a handover. Uh, are you essentially saying that
UNRWA is preparing as a contingency plan
to hand over its operations to the Palestinian Authority?
If it comes to that, I just want to make sure What is your can
contingency plan? Is that it?
There was a shortcut in your interpretation right now
I was talking
about
I am planning to hand over to the future state of Palestine,
and we are talking today
of a political pathway
leading to a two state solution
with, after that
empowered Palestinian authorities.
And that could be part of the lasting and durable solution.
And that would be also
the viable alternative for UN.
Today
we are all mobilised and struggling
to make sure that
the agency continues to provide access to critical services beyond the
end of January.
And for this we need to stop the implementation of this law.
But after that to make sure that we do not have
a Democrat sword on our head,
that we agree
that if generally
there is a commitment for a lasting political solution
an agency like ours has a play to rule by ensuring access to education
to the Children, who will be the future of a Palestinian state
and also
to help to capacitate
future education services in
this environment.
And here I believe
that UN W a has indeed a unique role to play.
Great, thanks. Last question here is for Anna Dulo and then we have to go.
Thank you
and
I want to return to the
Knesset issue. You already mentioned that
UN R
a is feeling the impact of the Knesset
Law and there is need to be a political pressure
I want to ask while in this progress
specific actions can
international organisations and other international
communities can take the safeguards Palestinians
access to aid and services and did the UN
communicate with the US recently on the Israelis ban decision
and also I want to ask. Secondly, while winter fast approaching, what does U NRW
A's plan to address the needs
for winter supplies and housing of the displaced families in Gaza,
especially in the north?
Thank you
shortly. The US is part of the advisory commission,
so they are part of our discussion
and obviously the impact of the
Knesset law at
the centre. In fact, of our discussion,
we are in contact with a number of
NGOs about future contingency. But the real contingency
plan discussion
is taking place
in Jerusalem with what we call, in our jargon, the
country team, bringing together all the UN agencies and
partners.
The contingency plan
is mainly focusing
on
urgent humanitarian response.
They are not talking about who can step in to take over education
or primary health because there is a realisation within this
border community that no one else can step in.
In the absence of a functioning
state
in Gaza.
As you know, we have
difficulties to access. You heard about
the routing
yesterday. Number of trucks has drastically
decreased, especially in October, but still in November.
So since more than six weeks now, winter is here,
but it's difficult,
excruciatingly difficult
to bring non food items or equipment for the winter.
Thanks, Mr Lace. Last word.
Well, just to say that of course winter is a concern. So is education as well.
And as part of this meeting, we are going to have a side event on education.
It
is already almost two academic years that
Children in Gaza have gone without education.
And as the commissioner general was saying,
this is very concerning also for the future, for the human capital
of Gaza and for Palestine more generally,
but also sowing the seed of future conflict as well.
We need to work with these Children and let me also add one thing
on the question of hunger.
The biggest determinant of hunger in the world, not just in the West Bank and Gaza,
is conflict.
It's not climate change,
so the best way of ensuring and as our Brazilian
friends are chairing the G 20 G 20 meeting is
happening today that we are able to provide food for
everyone and we can fight hunger is to end conflicts.
And actually that is
also an additional reason why Spain has been so actively involved in UN
W
A
and more generally on the conflict and
countries are doing what they can.
I think in the case of Spain, we've gone beyond words.
Uh, we have recognised the state of Palestine alongside other, uh,
member member states
with the purpose of prompting a political solution on
the problem and having two parties that can discuss,
um, the only solution that is on the table, of course,
which is the two state solution.
Great with that, Thank you very much. And we'll see you next time.