(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned on Thursday that Israel is attempting to dismantle UNRWA, characterising these attempts as“political assassination” that has been ongoing for years.
In a special session of the Security Council requested by Jordan, Safadi urged the international community to base its decisions regarding UNRWA on the agency's sacrifices, work, and role, rather than on the false allegations and lies propagated by Israel, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
He also highlighted the dire situation in Gaza, where 2.3 million people are facing the threat of famine due to the Israeli government's use of starvation as a weapon, adding that this is a blatant violation of international law and the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.
Safadi also commended the UNRWA for its efforts to prevent Palestinians in Gaza from dying of hunger, noting that 178 UNRWA staff members have lost their lives during the Israeli war on Gaza. He also offered condolences to the High Commissioner of the agency for the loss of these victims and their families.
He criticised Israel for preventing UNRWA from carrying out its duties under the mandate granted to it by the United Nations, adding that the aid allowed by Israel to enter Gaza does not reach all parts of the strip.
Safadi also said that the Israeli government is spreading a misinformation campaign against UNRWA and that these lies should not sway international public opinion, noting that Israel has accused 12 out of 13,000 of UNRWA's staff in Gaza, and the agency has acted responsibly by immediately dismissing these employees even before the investigation began.
The foreign minister also praised UNRWA for being the only hope for refugees, providing education and opportunities for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, and serving approximately 5.6 million refugees.
He pointed out that more than 300,000 students were studying in UNRWA schools in Gaza before the Israeli aggression turned their schools into crowded shelters. Without UNRWA, he warned, hundreds of thousands of others in the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon would be deprived of their right to education and healthcare. He also said that more than 100,000 boys and girls out of 2.3 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan receive their education in UNRWA schools "in an effort unreached by any other agency".
Safadi called for the protection of UNRWA both financially and politically, noting that it would support regional stability.“Saving UNRWA means saving lives and hope, standing alongside justice and the right of the Palestinian people to live in dignity, freedom, without fear, deprivation, or repression,” he said.
Safadi also held discussions with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on the sidelines of the Security Council meeting, focusing on the urgent need to stop the aggression on Gaza and end the humanitarian catastrophe it causes. They also discussed the ongoing cooperation between Jordan and the United Nations to stop the aggression and provide sufficient and sustainable assistance to all parts of the strip.
Safadi and Maltese Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo, whose country chairs the United Nations Security Council for April, discussed efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and deliver sufficient and sustainable assistance into all parts of the besieged Strip.
Safadi also stressed the international community's responsibility, especially the Security Council, to stop the raging war on the Strip and its catastrophic consequences.
The ministers also emphasised the importance of de-escalating tensions in the region and ensuring that the danger of war does not spread throughout the region.
Safadi also met with Commissioner-General of UNRWA Philippe Lazzarini, discussing the crucial role of UNRWA in providing indispensable humanitarian services to more than 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza facing an unprecedented humanitarian disaster.
They also stressed the need to prevent the danger of war from spreading throughout the region, highlighting the critical role of diplomacy and dialogue in maintaining regional stability.
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