In his speech yesterday before the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, His Majesty King Abdullah II reaffirmed Jordan's steadfast stance on the Palestinian issue and the rights of refugees, clearly stating: 'We will continue to support UNRWA.' This comes as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is facing systematic attempts to undermine its existence, role, and UN mandate.
This stance is not new or tied to a fleeting political moment, but rather an extension of a continuous royal path in defending UNRWA through UN platforms and international forums; in 2018, Jordan, under the directives of His Majesty, led a broad diplomatic movement to confront the most severe financial crisis the agency had ever faced, and contributed to convening international conferences to mobilize support for it, then His Majesty continued over the following years to emphasize that the continuation of its services is a humanitarian necessity. In his speech before the General Assembly in 2021, he called on the international community to continue supporting the agency to enable it to serve millions of Palestinian refugees, and in 2022 he urged member states to renew its mandate and guarantee the right of refugee children to education and health care, then in 2023 he renewed his call for sustainable funding for it. In 2024, His Majesty awarded UNRWA the Order of Independence of the First Class in recognition of its humanitarian role, and defended it in his international meetings as a lifeline for millions of Palestinians, culminating in his speech before the 81st session of the General Assembly in 2026, when he settled the position by saying: 'We will continue to support UNRWA.'
Once again, His Majesty stands by UNRWA as a living international witness to the issue of Palestinian refugees and their historical rights. Attempts to weaken the agency or end its work cannot be separated from broader efforts to liquidate the refugee issue, erase the right of return, and burden host countries with responsibilities created by the conflict and its continuation.
His Majesty's position gained importance within a clear discourse describing what is happening in the occupied Palestinian territories. He affirmed that what is happening in the West Bank is not isolated incidents, but interconnected practices that form a single policy aimed at forcing an entire people to leave their land, warning that international inaction to stop these violations is no longer an inability, but a choice.
Therefore, the announcement of continued support for UNRWA was not a side detail in the speech, but part of an integrated Jordanian vision to confront displacement and protect the Palestinian presence. The agency plays a fundamental role in education, health, relief, and social protection, and any decline in its ability to operate will leave millions of families, especially children, the sick, and the most vulnerable, facing a humanitarian void that no other entity can fill.
For Jordan, defending UNRWA combines national duty and humanitarianism and protects national interest. The Kingdom hosts the largest number of Palestinian refugees registered with the agency, and has borne significant responsibilities for their care and support for their stability over decades. Therefore, Jordan insists that the continuation of UNRWA's services and funding is an international responsibility, and it is not permissible to transfer its burdens to host countries.
His Majesty has placed the international community before its moral and legal responsibility; it is not possible to defend international law selectively, nor is it possible to talk about peace while ignoring the rights of Palestinians or allowing the UN institution responsible for their care to be undermined.
When the King says to the world: 'We will continue to support UNRWA,' he is declaring that the rights of refugees are not erasable, and that Jordan will not accept the liquidation of their cause under the pressure of fait accompli. It is a steadfast Hashemite and Jordanian position that stands for Palestine, protects the right of the Palestinian people to education, health, and dignity, and adheres to justice in an era when international silence has become a partner in suffering.
