(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Cairo, July 20 (Petra) – Jordan took part in the 113th session of the Conference of Supervisors of Palestinian Affairs in Arab Host Countries, held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo. The Kingdom was represented by Director-General of the Department of Palestinian Affairs, Rafiq Khirfan.
During the meeting, Khirfan underscored Jordan's unwavering support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), stressing that the Kingdom, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, rejects all efforts to undermine the agency's mandate or curtail its services. He noted that support for UNRWA constitutes an enduring international responsibility that must be upheld.
Khirfan highlighted His Majesty's consistent advocacy at international fora on the centrality of UNRWA's role in safeguarding regional stability and securing the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Reiterating Jordan's firm stance on the Palestinian cause, Khirfan condemned the continued Israeli occupation and its escalating violations, which have persisted for over 600 days, culminating in a dire humanitarian crisis for the Palestinian people.
He warned against ongoing Israeli policies aimed at the Judaization of Jerusalem, the alteration of its demographic character, and attempts to assert control over the al-Aqsa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif. These actions, he said, flagrantly violate the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, a responsibility His Majesty King Abdullah II continues to fulfill, with international recognition.
Khirfan further detailed the extensive damage inflicted upon UNRWA facilities in the Gaza Strip, including the targeting of schools sheltering displaced civilians, resulting in hundreds of deaths, including children and women. He revealed that over 317 UNRWA staff members have been killed since the onset of the aggression. In the West Bank, the agency faces mounting challenges from Israeli measures that threaten its legal status, especially in occupied Jerusalem.
He also drew attention to the acute financial crisis UNRWA is currently experiencing, exacerbated by the suspension of contributions from several donor states and a politically motivated campaign challenging the agency's legitimacy. This, he noted, threatens UNRWA's capacity to continue delivering essential services to more than 5.9 million registered Palestinian refugees.
Khirfan stressed the importance of bolstering Arab and international coordination among host and donor countries to ensure the renewal of UNRWA's mandate at the United Nations General Assembly without amendment or restriction. He also emphasized the need to respect host countries' sovereignty over educational curricula, in coordination with UNRWA.
The conference's agenda includes discussions on developments related to the Palestinian cause, the ongoing war on Gaza, the separation wall, Israeli settlement expansion, the refugee situation, and the agency's operational and financial status.

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