The Security Council is scheduled to hold closed consultations on Friday regarding the situation of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which currently faces an imminent threat of prohibition from Zionist forces in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
During this meeting, Algeria will speak in its national capacity, and Council members are expected to voice their concerns about how the threat of prohibition impacts UNRWA’s ability to fulfill its mandate in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Algeria, presiding over the Security Council for the month of January, has requested UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini to brief Council members on the challenges faced by the agency due to the ongoing Zionist aggression in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in Gaza since October 2023, as well as the threats of prohibition.
Lazzarini is anticipated to urge the Security Council to protect the agency’s mandate during the transitional period that will follow the implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza. He may also discuss potential measures to mitigate the effects of the Zionist prohibition while emphasizing that none of these measures can substitute for UNRWA’s central role in the humanitarian response in Gaza or its obligation to assist Palestinian refugees until local institutions can assume the agency’s responsibilities.
Furthermore, Lazzarini could underscore the extent of UNRWA’s assistance activities in Gaza, such as providing shelter to hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons within the enclave, along with its crucial role in education and as the primary healthcare provider.
While stressing the importance of supporting UNRWA, Lazzarini may call on Council members to take concrete actions to protect the agency and ensure its effective capacity to fulfill its mandate in the occupied Palestinian territories.
