WASHINGTON – The UN Fourth Committee voted on Friday to extend UNRWA‘s mandate until 2023, with no major changes.
Some 170 countries voted in favor, and seven countries, including Guatemala and Canada, abstained. The United States and Israel were the only two countries that opposed the resolution.
UNRWA was established 70 years ago. Its mandate is renewed every three years, in two stages — the first stage was today at the Fourth Committee. The second stage will take place in December at the General Assembly.
The resolution, which was approved on Friday, states that the UN is “expressing grave concern at the especially difficult situation of the Palestine refugees under occupation, including with regard to their safety, well-being and socioeconomic living conditions.”
It also expressed “grave concern in particular at the grave humanitarian situation and socioeconomic conditions of the Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip, and underlining the importance of emergency and humanitarian assistance and urgent reconstruction efforts.”
Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, told The Jerusalem Post: “The votes today show that the UN is not interested in resolving the refugee issue or creating conditions for peace.”
“UNRWA remains a corrupt and ineffective organization that teaches generations of Palestinian children to hate Jews and denies Israel’s right to exist,” he added.
“There is no reason why the UN has a refugee agency dedicated solely to the Palestinians.” Danon said, “UNRWA is not interested in resettling Palestinian refugees but in extending its existence to undermine and threaten Israel’s sovereignty. Instead of extending its mandate, UNRWA should be voted out of existence.”
“We welcome the overwhelming international support provided by UN Member states in the UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee to the renewal of UNRWA’s mandate this Friday afternoon,” said Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Palestinian Third Way party and head of PLO’s Department of Public Diplomacy and Policy.
“This is a resounding victory for international law, justice, Palestine refugees, and for the UN agency that has so aptly served them for seven decades despite seemingly insurmountable challenges.”
“The Palestinian people welcome this principled vote of support, and genuinely appreciate all States that voted in favor of this resolution and stood up to the US-Israeli campaign of pressure and intimidation,” the lawmaker said.
She added that Palestinians “view this vote as an unequivocal rejection of a malicious and cynical campaign led by the Trump administration and Israel to abolish UNRWA and revoke the inalienable rights of Palestine refugees.”
She added that Palestinians “view this vote as an unequivocal rejection of a malicious and cynical campaign led by the Trump administration and Israel to abolish UNRWA and revoke the inalienable rights of Palestine refugees.”
“UNRWA shall continue serving Palestine refugees until the international community musters the required political will to reach a just and lasting solution for refugees, anchored in international law and relevant UN resolutions, including UN General Assembly resolution 194.” Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
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