UN Palestine refugee agency remains target of 'political assassination’: Jordan

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) faces an orchestrated drive aimed at its political liquidation, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Thursday during a high-level ministerial summit in New York.

"UNRWA is still the target of political assassination, and if we allow for UNRWA to be dismantled, we are allowing for hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza, for 2 million people in Gaza, to go hungry, to go cold, and to lose the ability to offer education," Safadi told diplomats on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly session.

Safadi insisted that host nations will not assume any operational duties from UNRWA, emphasizing that transferring its mandate would serve as the first step toward abolishing the agency, while host countries already shoulder heavy burdens.

MOUNTING CASUALTIES, FUNDING CRISIS

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that the agency's workforce in Gaza has suffered severe tragedy, with nearly 400 staff members killed since hostilities escalated in the war with Israel. UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman emphasized that aid workers must never pay the ultimate price for humanitarian service.

Guterres pointed out that the organization confronts a $100 million cash shortfall alongside severe administrative blockades, including visa refusals by Israel and exclusion from regional coordination meetings. Rahman noted that financial constraints have forced the agency to reduce service hours by 20% alongside corresponding pay reductions for education and field staff.

UNRWA Acting Commissioner-General Christian Saunders described catastrophic conditions on the ground, noting that 94% of Gaza residents lack public shelter and 98% live exposed to raw sewage and rubble. Saunders said UNRWA has implemented more than 80% of the neutrality recommendations from the independent Colonna Report.

FACILITY SEIZURES, DIPLOMATIC CONDEMNATION

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said Brasilia "strongly" condemns the closure, occupation, and demolition of UNRWA facilities in occupied East Jerusalem, warning that plans to construct military installations at the Sheikh Jarrah compound form part of a broader defamation campaign. Vieira emphasized that the root of the crisis is political, affirming that the agency remains "irreplaceable" until a permanent settlement is reached.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares condemned assaults against agency buildings by Israeli security forces, cautioning that excluding humanitarian organizations creates a "dangerous vacuum" that worsens civilian despair.

"Türkiye will continue to provide strong political, financial, and in-kind support to UNRWA," the Turkish delegation told the meeting, warning that unlawful Israeli actions threaten to destabilize the occupied West Bank and disrupt relief operations in Gaza.

Ankara urged world leaders to pressure Tel Aviv to abide by international law and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. "Israel seeks to undermine the institutions that underpin efforts for peace and stability in the region," it said. "We should not contribute to the dismantling of international law and order by remaining unengaged."

Palestine's permanent representative Riyad Mansour condemned the destruction and seizure of the agency's headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem to build Israeli military installations, describing it as "an assault not only on UNRWA but on Palestine refugees as a community," and part of a systematic campaign of displacement.

The remarks come amid continued Israeli pressure on UNRWA after the Knesset approved two laws in October 2024 restricting the agency's operations, including a ban on its activities inside Israel. The laws took effect in early 2025.

Gaza faces catastrophic humanitarian conditions amid Israel's genocidal war since Oct. 8, 2023, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured 174,000, while 90% of the enclave's infrastructure has been destroyed.

NEW FINANCIAL PLEDGES

Several donor governments announced new financial commitments during the summit to help alleviate the agency's operational shortfall.

Germany pledged an additional €20 million ($22.7 million), splitting €10 million for infrastructure rehabilitation and €10 million for humanitarian relief, raising its total 2026 support to €97 million ($107.7 million).

The Netherlands announced it will increase its annual assistance from €11 million to €19 million, while France unveiled a new €15 million contribution.

Belgium committed an additional €2.4 million ($2.7 million) for emergency operations and education.