Mansour calls on donor countries to UNRWA to defend it

NEW YORK, JUN.1, (ST)-The Permanent Representative of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, has called on all donor countries and organizations to UNRWA to defend it and ensure the continuation of its indispensable operations as well as to provide the necessary political and financial support to it until a just solution to the  Palestinian refugees is reached in line with international law and relevant resolutions.

Wafa Agency reported that Mansour referred in three identical letters to the UN Secretary-General , the President of the Security Council for this month, and the President of the United Nations General Assembly, to the escalation of incitement, threats, and direct Israeli attacks on UNRWA in light of the failure of the international community, including the Security Council, to impose sanctions for such blatant attacks on UN agency.

He  pointed out that 170 UNRWA facilities were damaged or destroyed as a result of the Israeli occupation bombing besides the complete demolition of some schools, and the martyrdom of 192 of its employees as a result of the aggression on the Gaza Strip.

Mansour underlined that these actions constitute serious violations of the United Nations Charter, the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and relevant Security Council resolutions.

He said: “The scale  of  attacks on UN personnel and buildings in the past 8 months necessitate the formation of an independent investigative body by the relevant UN body, in order to ensure accountability and affirm the sanctity of international law.”

Mansour added that the time has come to hold Israel, the occupying power, accountable for the war crimes, which it is committing against the Palestinian people, by working concretely and collectively to uphold international law throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, and impose an immediate cessation of aggression and to protect the Palestinian people, as well as to protect those who help them, including UNRWA and other UN agencies on the ground.

Basma Qaddour