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UNRWA chief warns Israel seeks to eliminate agency, refugee issue
The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has accused Israel of pursuing a systematic effort to dismantle the organization and erase the Palestinian refugee question. The allegation follows Israel's seizure of a major UNRWA training facility.
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The commissioner-general of UNRWA said the confiscation of the agency's training centre represents part of a broader Israeli strategy to eliminate the organization and resolve the Palestinian refugee issue through dismantling rather than negotiated settlement.
The seizure of the facility marks an escalation in tensions between Israel and the UN agency, which provides education, healthcare, and social services to millions of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. UNRWA officials have characterized the action as a significant impediment to their operational capacity in the region.
The accusation reflects deepening friction between Jerusalem and the international body over the agency's role and mandate. Israel has previously raised concerns about UNRWA's operations and funding, while the UN organization maintains that its services remain essential to Palestinian populations in refugee camps and host communities.
The dispute underscores the broader impasse in Israeli-Palestinian relations, with fundamental disagreements persisting over the status and rights of Palestinian refugees—a central issue in decades-long peace negotiations. UNRWA's future operations and the refugee question remain contentious points in any potential settlement discussions.