ISLAMABAD: Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, has “strongly condemned” Israel’s attempts to dismantle the operations of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
According to state-run Radio Pakistan, Usman Jadoon, in his address to the UN General Assembly, termed Israel’s legislation against UNRWA’s operations in Palestinian territories as part of its “genocidal campaign” against the Palestinian people.
“The adoption of the law by the Israeli parliament is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international law, the provisional measures set by the International Court of Justice, and the ICJ’s advisory opinion issued on July 19,” Jadoon said while addressing the UN General Assembly.
He stated that Israel’s legislation undermines global efforts to protect Palestinian rights. He urged the international community, in particular the UN Security Council, to hold Israel accountable for its actions and ensure the uninterrupted operations of UNRWA.
“By targeting the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, Israel not only obstructs vital humanitarian assistance but also threatens the collective effort to uphold the Palestinian people’s identity, rights, and aspirations for justice and peace,” Jadoon added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Israel’s parliament voted last month to ban UNRWA from operating within Israel and Palestinian territories. Almost the entire population of Gaza, more than two million people, depend on aid and services from the agency.
This move has faced widespread condemnation, with UNRWA warning that the new law could lead to aid supply chains “falling apart” in the coming weeks.
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The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recorded that between October 21 and November 1, just 26 trucks carrying vital water and sanitation supplies entered the Gaza Strip. This is far from enough to meet the essential needs of the 2.3 million-strong population.
In the UN General Assembly session on @UNRWA today, Pakistan proposed that five critical steps must be prioritized to ensure peace, uphold human rights, and enforce international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT):
1. Establish a complete, durable, and… pic.twitter.com/yXr2U1GhYv
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) November 7, 2024
Since Israel imposed a total siege on Gaza in October last year, more than 43,469 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed. Basic infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools, and hospitals, has also been targeted. At least 58 percent of all residential units in the Strip have been damaged in Israel’s war on Gaza.
Founded in 1949, UNRWA operates in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Over the decades, the agency has grown to become the largest UN agency operating in Gaza.
Since the conflict in Gaza began in October last year, the agency has distributed food parcels to nearly 1.9 million people and provided almost six million medical consultations across the enclave.
More than 200 UNRWA staff members have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 2023 while performing their duties, according to the agency.
