The Palestine Liberation Organization calls for converting international positions into financial and political support for UNRWA

His statements came following his welcome of the political positions expressed by the participating countries in the Ministerial-Level Pledging Conference for Major Donor Countries to "UNRWA", held in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, co-chaired by Jordan, Spain, and Brazil.

Abu Houli valued the contributions of France and Germany in supporting "UNRWA", and their announcement of providing additional funding to the agency, praising the French contribution of 15 million euros, and the additional German contribution of 20 million euros, including 10 million euros for infrastructure rehabilitation, and 10 million euros for supporting humanitarian operations in Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

He considered that these steps reflect a commitment to continuing to support the agency and enhancing its ability to continue providing services to Palestinian refugees, calling on donor countries to follow these initiatives, increase their financial contributions, and fulfill their obligations, which contributes to filling the financial deficit of UNRWA and ensuring the continuity of its services and the protection of its UN mandate.

He also praised the positions of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, and the participating Arab and international countries, which affirmed the necessity of enabling UNRWA to continue implementing the mandate granted to it by the General Assembly resolutions, protecting its staff, headquarters, and facilities, and rejecting the transfer of its responsibilities to the host countries or replacing it with any other entity.

He said: What came out of the conference confirms that UNRWA is not just an institution for providing humanitarian services, but an embodiment of international responsibility towards the Palestinian refugee issue and their rights, and the continuation of its mandate is linked to the continuation of the refugee issue until a just and comprehensive solution is reached in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, foremost of which is Resolution 194.

He stressed that the international calls to fill the financial deficit facing the agency, estimated at about 100 million dollars, must be translated into practical and immediate steps, through fulfilling financial pledges, and providing sustainable and multi-year funding, which guarantees the continuation of education, health, relief, and protection services for Palestinian refugees in the five areas of UNRWA operations.

He affirmed that the continuation of the financial crisis not only threatens the agency's ability to provide its services, but also directly affects the lives of millions of Palestinian refugees, and threatens the stability of the camps and host communities, warning that reducing services or transferring the agency's responsibilities to other entities constitutes an infringement on its mandate and the international responsibility towards the refugee issue.

He welcomed the international affirmations on the importance of UNRWA's role in humanitarian response, recovery, and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, emphasizing the necessity of enabling it to play its full role in these stages, and not excluding it from any arrangements related to the future of the sector, given its accumulated experience, infrastructure, staff, and the confidence of the refugees in it.

He called on the international community and the United Nations to take practical measures to ensure respect for the immunity of UNRWA premises and facilities, protect its staff, stop the attacks and restrictions imposed on its operations, ensure the unhindered access of humanitarian aid, and hold the occupation accountable for its violations of international law and UN resolutions.

Abu Houli emphasized that any administrative or financial reforms within UNRWA should aim to enhance its efficiency and the sustainability of its services, and should not turn into an entry point for reducing its mandate, infringing on the rights of refugees, or transferring its responsibilities to other entities.

He stressed that protecting "UNRWA" is protecting the rights of Palestinian refugees and their national cause, and that the international community is required to move from declaring political positions to assuming its legal and financial responsibilities, and ensuring the continuation of the agency in implementing its mandate until a just and comprehensive solution is reached for the Palestinian refugee issue in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.