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UNRWA Press conference: Update on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) - 18 November 2024
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Press Conferences , Edited News | UNRWA
UNRWA Press conference: Update on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) - 18 November 2024
TRT: 04 min 50s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 18 NOVEMBER 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Speakers:
• Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General;
• Antón Leis, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development, Chair of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee, at UN Geneva.
SHOTLIST
-
- Exterior médium-wide: UN Geneva flag alley.
- Wide, UN Geneva Press room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “I confirm indeed, that they have been looting, more than 100 trucks have been looted, primarily UNRWA and the WFP. Basically, 80-90 per cent of the convoy on that day. What does it show? Well, we have been warning a long time ago about the total breakdown of civil order; until you know, four or five months ago, we still had local capacity, people who were escorting the convoy. This has completely gone.”
- Medium-wide, Press room, journalists, photographers, TV journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “You keep hearing that the agency is irreplaceable. I keep being asked why is the agency irreplaceable? In fact, it is replaceable by a functioning state, by a functioning institution and for this we need to invest even more into a political process in order to make sure that this reality would be the reality of tomorrow for the Palestinians.”
- Medium-wide, journalists, TV screens showing Mr. Lazzarini.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “If we do this and we do not have a viable alternative in place, we will create a vacuum. We will also deprive hundreds of thousands of children to the right of education, but by doing this we will also sow the seeds for more extremism, more hate in the future.”
- Medium, photographer lining up to take pictures.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: (French): « Est-ce qu’il y a aujourd’hui une autre organisation en dehors d’un état qui fonctionne pour ramener des enfants dans un environnement éducatif, la réponse est non, il n’y a personne. La même réponse vous sera donnée pour la santé primaire. »
- Medium, podium speakers, UN insignia.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Antón Leis, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development, Chair of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee, at UN Geneva: “Our intention is to provide support for an irreplaceable and indispensable - and I underline those two words, irreplaceable and indispensable - agency for six million Palestine refugees in the Middle East - not just in Gaza - in the entire Middle East. It is indispensable and irreplaceable in the absence of a political solution to the conflict because all these people depend on UNRWA for basic services such as health, education or social services.”
- Medium-wide, journalists, TV screens showing speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Antón Leis, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development, Chair of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee, at UN Geneva: “There are discussions also about what is happening on the ground, the difficulties to operate, some of the questions where were alluding to that, and the campaigns of disinformation and misinformation that go around the organization. So, it is important also to set the record straight and explain what UNRWA does and what UNRWA does differently from other UN agencies and why - and this is a reality on the ground - why UNRWA is indispensable and irreplaceable.”
- Medium-wide, journalists, TV cameras.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “Our staff in the region is deeply, deeply concerned, anxious - very - about what might happen and rightly so. We had already last week an incident where a female staff member was searched at her home by IDF soldier and when they realized that she's working for UNRWA, basically they told her, ‘How come you work for a terrorist organization?’”
- Medium-wide, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: “We have a new incoming administration in the US; no one, really knows in which direction things will go. We keep hearing that promoting a lasting peace is a priority and I do not see how you can promote lasting peace without addressing the question of the Palestinians in the region. So, of course, people are extremely worried that it might go in the direction of an annexation, but annexation wouldn't mean a lasting peace in the region if you haven’t addressed the question of the Palestinians.”
- Medium, TV journalist taking footage.
- Medium, journalists.
- Medium-wide, journalists, TV cameras and video journalists.
Lazzarini: Annexation of Gaza won’t create lasting peace in Middle East
The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, confirmed on Monday that a large convoy of humanitarian aid was looted inside Gaza at the weekend, amid a near-total a breakdown in law and order and harassment of the agency’s staff by Israeli soldiers.
“More than 100 trucks have been looted, primarily [carrying goods for] UNRWA and the WFP, basically, 80-90 per cent of the convoy on that day,” said Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General.
“What does it show? Well, we have been warning a long time ago about the total breakdown of civil order; until you know, four or five months ago, we still had local capacity, people who were escorting the convoy. This has completely gone.”
According to UNRWA, the incident happened on Saturday and involved a 109-truck convoy. “The vast majority of the trucks, 97 in total, were lost and drivers were forced at gunpoint to unload aid,” it said in an online post on X.
“The Israeli authorities continue to disregard their legal obligations under international law to ensure the population's basic needs are met and to facilitate the safe delivery of aid,” the UN agency insisted. “Such responsibilities continue when trucks enter the Gaza Strip, until people are reached with essential assistance.”
In addition to ongoing deadly Israeli bombardment – including of a residential building in northern Beit Lahia at the weekend which left dozens dead including children – UNRWA said that critical shortages of flour had forced all eight UN-supported bakeries in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis to operate “at diminished capacity for weeks. Many have been forced to shut down entirely. Without immediate intervention, severe food shortages are set to worsen, further endangering the lives of over two million people who depend on humanitarian aid to survive.”
Speaking in Geneva on the sidelines of a meeting of the Advisory Committee which is tasked with advising and assisting UNRWA in carrying out its mandate, Mr. Lazzarini reiterated his warning – echoed widely by the international community – that Israeli efforts to dismantle the agency would have terrible consequences on Gazans who rely on it for education, healthcare and livelihoods, unless a viable alternative were put in place.
“I keep being asked why is the agency irreplaceable? In fact, it is replaceable by a functioning state…if we do this and we do not have a viable alternative in place, we will create a vacuum. We will also deprive hundreds of thousands of children to the right of education, but by doing this we will also sow the seeds for more extremism, more hate in the future.”
Echoing that message, Antón Leis, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development and Chair of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee insisted that UNRWA was “irreplaceable and indispensable…for six million Palestine refugees in the Middle East - not just in Gaza - in the entire Middle East”.
Mr. Leis underscored the negative impact of an ongoing disinformation campaign targeting UNRWA and stressed the need to explain the agency’s crucial grassroots work across the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
“It is important also to set the record straight and explain what UNRWA does and what UNRWA does differently from other UN agencies and why - and this is a reality on the ground - why UNRWA is indispensable and irreplaceable.”
Mr. Lazzarini noted that the diplomatic and political campaign against UNRWA was impacting staff on the ground, too: “We had already last week an incident where a female staff member was searched at her home by [an Israel Defense Forces] soldier and when they realized that she's working for UNRWA, basically they told her, ‘How come you work for a terrorist organization?’”
Asked what the election of Donald Trump might change, the UNRWA chief maintained the need to listen to the aspirations of Palestinians. “We keep hearing that promoting a lasting peace is a priority and I do not see how you can promote lasting peace without addressing the question of the Palestinians in the region. So, of course, people are extremely worried that it might go in the direction of an annexation, but annexation wouldn't mean a lasting peace in the region if you haven’t addressed the question of the Palestinians.”
Teleprompter
Hi, everyone.
Thanks for having us today and good to see all of you, some of you first time in person.
So good afternoon to you all.
Sorry we're a few minutes late.
I will first pass on the floor to OK, maybe before that just in terms of format because Alessandra is not around today when we close.
When you ask questions, please introduce to yourselves.
Let me first pass on the floor to Mr Anton Lace.
He is the Secretary General and Executive Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development and also the Chair of the UNDRA.
[Other language spoken]
Over to you.
Thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
Yes, Monsieur Mon, good morning, everyone.
I'm here as the chair of the outcome in probably what could be the most important advisory Commission meeting in several years, given the unprecedented situation that Unruh is experiencing, that the region is experiencing, that we are, we are seeing #1 because there is a complicated situation created by the adoption of legislation in the Knesset.
That job paradise is for the first time in history, Unruh's operation in the West Bank, including E Jerusalem, where the agency's headquarters are located, and also in Gaza.
But also because the situation on the ground, as we heard this morning from Unruh Estaf, is as dire as he has been since October 7.
We have taken Spain, has taken over this chairmanship as part of an active engagement for peace in the region.
Our intention is to provide support for an irreplaceable and indispensable, and I underline those two words, irreplaceable and indispensable agency for 6,000,000 Palestine refugees in the Middle East, not just in Gaza, in the entire Middle East.
It is indispensable and irreplaceable in the absence of a political solution to the conflict, because all these people depend on Unruh for basic services such as health, education or social services.
[Other language spoken]
Let me be very clear, Unruh is like no other UN agency.
No other UN agency has the mandate of almost a quasi government providing those services.
The Unrwa's mandate was established and has been continually extended under Article 7 of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3O2, which includes the provision of services, assistance and protection for Palestine refugees in five fields of of operation.
Until there is a just and durable solution to the plight of Palestine refugees in accordance with international law, there is simply no alternative to UNRWA as it has a key and fundamental role in providing education, providing health relief and social services to Palestine refugees and also very important, as well as stabilising the region or contributing to regional stability.
This is particularly the case in Gaza since the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7th.
We all condemn.
UNRWA has been the backbone of the humanitarian response in the Strip and there is certainly no alternative to UNDRA to deliver aid in Gaza.
It is the only organisation that possesses the staff, the infrastructure and the capacity to deliver life saving assistance to Palestine refugees at the scale needed, especially in Gaza.
But more generally, UNDRA is indispensable as well in the West Bank and the wider region as well.
For these 6 million people we have a very important agenda ahead of us.
We convey to the Commissioner General and to UNDRA colleagues, of course, our regrets for the loss of more than 240 staff members in Gaza.
We extended our condolences to their families, friends and colleagues.
We also noticed that at least 190 Unruh facilities in Gaza has suffered severe damage to date.
Spain has condemned these deaths and the destruction of health and educational facilities.
Yet it's also remarkable, and we congratulated the organisation, that despite all of this, UNRA has worked tirelessly to assist the civilian population in Gaza.
And just to give one example, 156,000 children have been vaccinated against polio by UNRA over the last two months.
The agenda for today and tomorrow is quite complete.
We'll have briefings on the situation and UNRA activities in Gaza and the overall region including Lebanon, which is of course very concerning also for Palestine refugees.
There are three key points.
First, of course, we'll discuss the situation created by the Knesset legislation and I think what we intend to do there is to affirm our strong support for the agency in continuing it's vital work pursuant to the mandate.
There is a strong opposition to the legislation adopted and and of course a grave concern that if implemented, the legislation would have far reaching consequences, effectively stopping unrest operation in the West Bank, including E Jerusalem, and the fact of preventing unrest vital operations in Gaza, which would risk also setting a dangerous precedent that will undermine the work of the United Nations and the multilateral system.
And indeed, this is not just about the West Bank and Gaza.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
It is about EU, NS Charter and international law more broadly.
Second, we'll discuss today how to counter the massive amounts of disinformation and misinformation against UNRWA and we'll provide the agency with some recommendations, hopefully on how to respond to that, stressing in particular this unique mandate and position that UNRWA has as Aun Agency 'cause there is no other organisation like UNRWA.
And 3rd, we'll continue to discuss the internal governance of UNRWA and the continued efforts undertaken by the Commissioner General and his team to strengthen neutrality, including through the implementation of the recommendations made in the colonial report.
The agency has made progress.
We'll continue to address the remaining recommendations in the in the in the Corona report.
We'll continue to work closely with the Commissioner General and, and, and, and the organisation on this and on broader governance reforms.
We will also provide or try to provide guidance and advice on how to strengthen unrest financial position and improve the governance structure of the agency or how to enhance partnerships with other organisation.
That is our role as Chair of UNRWA.
Let me be also very clear, in Spain or Speaking of Spain, we are deeply committed to peace in the Middle East.
We have been strong proponents of the two state solution.
We see of course the continuity of Unrwa's activities as crucial in that effort and we stand ready to provide UNRWA all the support needed, financial of course.
And this year we have provided €23.5 million, which is historical **** for the organisation, but also politically, and that is also why we have taken on this role of chairmanship of the outcome.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you so much, Mr Mr Lace, and thank you for the generosity and the support of Spain to Andra and Palestine refugees.
Mr Philippe Plazzarini, Commissioner General of Andra, over to you, please.
[Other language spoken]
Pleasure to be with you and thank you, Minister Les.
It, it was correct.
Yeah, it, it was correct.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Sorry about that.
But again, thank you, Minister Les, and thank you to Spain to champ to 1st for the championship of the outcome, but also for stewarding the support with other Member States to the agency, both politically but also financially.
Spain has been very involved also in New York with other Member States where when it comes to the joint commitment to the agency, you said a lot.
So I will just be a little bit briefer and give more time for the Q&A today.
As you know, I was at the GA last last week at the Force Committee because of the unprecedented time the agency is going through, which I have described as being certainly the darkest moment for the agency but also for the Palestinian refugees across the region.
You have all followed recently the adoption of the Tuch Neset bill on the 28th of October.
I have drawn the attention of the member state that now the clock is ticking.
Basically it's a three months deadline.
I have shared with member state our free ask, the first one being we have to stop the OR prevent the implementation of this bill.
Secondly, once this implementation of this bill is put on hold, we need we need to deleonate the role of the agency within a political pathway leading to the two state solution leading to an empowered Palestinian authorities.
As Minister Lee said, we you keep hearing that the agency is irreplaceable.
I keep being asked why is the agency irreplaceable?
In fact, it is replaceable by a functioning state, by functioning institution.
And for this we need to invest even more into a political process in order to make sure that this reality would be the reality of tomorrow for the Palestinian.
But we are irreplaceable for any other United Nation organisation because there is no United Nation organisation which has been geared to provide public like services like Anwar.
There is absolutely no UN agency which would provide primary, primary or secondary education to hundreds of thousands of girls or boys anywhere in the world but also across the region.
So my message to the Member State has also been please make sure that we are not throwing the baby with the water at the same time, because if we do this and we do not have a viable alternative in place, we will create a vacuum.
We will also deprive hundreds of thousands of children to the right of education.
But by doing this, we will also show seats for more extremism, more hate in in the future.
[Other language spoken]
It's not you, you, you heard from me many times because I might also ask about what are the political objective?
What what are the objective behind the dismantlement of the agency?
And you heard me talking about the aim of stripping the Palestinian from the refugee statue, through this also undermining the aspiration of the Palestinian for self determination, but also undermining the effort of the international community to A2 state solution.
On this one, we have to be clear, even if UNWAR today would seize its operation, the statue of refugee would remain.
Why so?
Because the statue of the Palestinian refugees is determined in a General Assembly resolution 194, whereas the activities and the mandate of the agency is defined in a different GA resolution which was basically adopted later.
I keep being asked either yes or not a Plan B.
There is no Plan B within the UN agency, within the UN family because there is no other agency geared to provide the same activities.
And in reality, UN, what is the response of the international community to the plight of the Palestinian refugees through the mandate provided by the GA resolution?
So if there is no UN or international community response, the responsibility will go back to the occupying power being Israel.
And that's where we have to ask where does the Plan B sit today?
I would like just to conclude by saying that we can already feel the impact of this laws.
Our staff in the region is deeply, deeply concerned, anxious, worry about what might happen and rightly so.
We had already last week an incident where a female staff member was searched at her home by IDF soldier.
And when they realised that she's working for UNRWA, basically they told her how come you work for a terrorist organisation?
They ask for access to all the data in the computer in total violation of our immunity and privileges.
And then she was brought for interrogation, interrogation for a few hours, handcuffed to to a post.
This of course, creates a lot of anxiety.
It's not just an anxiety regarding, you know, the, the job security or the livelihood.
Talking about this only in the occupied Palestinian territory, we have 17,000 staff and we are the second main employer of a Palestinian after the Palestinian Authority.
I think I will stop here.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you, Mr Lazzarini, and we will open the floor for questions also for Mr Anton Lace, Rolando here, who is a great friend and a colleague is also going to help us with any questions for those who are online with us.
With that we open the floor please, because I don't know most of you and I'm not Alessandra.
Please introduce yourselves and say which news agency or news outlet you work with.
We start with the gentleman over there, please.
Donald Trump was.
[Other language spoken]
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Perspective would love to.
[Other language spoken]
With the concrete more, I think both right?
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[Other language spoken]
All right.
Thanks very much.
And the gentleman on the 3rd row.
Yeah, to the right place.
[Other language spoken]
Can you please introduce yourself which which media outlet are you with?
[Other language spoken]
Say Ricardo Baneto, Television Suisse.
Thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
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You very much do you want to add anything on that one?
[Other language spoken]
I'm Premier Pacquiao SKMS importance of the combat this information.
[Other language spoken]
Mr Elise, we will go next to IFP, please.
Thank you very much for the question.
And Nina Larseny, FPI was wondering if you could say something about whether you've heard any concrete things from various countries about how they might be able to step up and help block this move by the by Israel that you're calling for, If you've you've seen any signs and especially the US was, was critical of it, but that might shift with the change of administration coming in, in January.
I don't know how you would counter that.
And finally, I was just wondering if you could say something about what impact you mentioned it briefly, but the impact on Unaros employees on the ground in Jerusalem or or otherwise how if, if this ban does take effect, how will that impact them in practise?
[Other language spoken]
Click on the Yeah, the impact on our staff and whether you've heard from.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Listen, just just come back from New York where there are quite a lot of activities going on.
Last week there was an informal General Assembly meeting dedicated on Onwar, which was triggered by the letter I sent to the president.
Then this week we had the force Committee.
Number of discussion also are taking place about whether to submit a question to the ICG, the International Court of Justice.
First of all, the legality of the decision regarding regarding the launcher.
Since a few months ago, the ICG has ruled the occupation being illegal.
Can you, in the context where the occupation has been ruled illegal, take a decision to ban the agency?
There are also other discussion which are alluded for the time being about triggering some dispute mechanism through the General Assembly and also the ICG.
So all these discussion now are taking place in in among member States and there will also be an emergency session in in December.
Now, yes, of course, we have a new incoming administration in the US.
No, no one really knows in which direction things will go.
We keep hearing that promoting A lasting peace is a priority and I do not see how you can promote A lasting peace without addressing the question of the Palestinian in the region.
So of course people are extremely worried that it might go in the direction of annexation, but the annexation wouldn't wouldn't mean a lasting peace in the region.
Having addressed the question of the Palestinian, it can take a different direction which goes much more through a number of normalisation process in the region for which expectation are that the issue of Palestine be also addressed there.
So I would say let's see in the coming weeks in which direction it goes.
But this is also one of the reason why we have approached number of Member states to shield the agency in any proposed political pathway which would lead to either the creation of the State of Palestine, but which would address the Palestinian question.
Last but not least, yes, you have the first impact on our staff regarding the job insecurity, but beyond that, a real, real fear that any of them could be harassed, could be arrested, investigated, convicted for belonging or having war with an organisation which in this context is considered as being a terrorist organisation.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Isabel Sacco for FA.
My question is maybe it's for Mr Lace.
I would like to know, given the fact that is there are many doubts on what is the position the next AUS administration will take towards UNRAD.
The other partners more important partner for Israel and could be the European countries which can put some pressure on Israel to avoid implementation of of the of these bills we are discussing.
So what the question is, what from your perspective now as President of the of this advisory committee, what is the, the, how united are the Europeans now for, to take a common position of this on this?
Because we know that there are some different positions too among them.
What is the leverage they have and what also countries from the Middle East?
How, how much are they ready to, to be involved and to really take a strong position on this on on the way they can and from other maybe develop developing countries, even China?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you for the question.
Look, we are chairing the the the outcome.
There are 29 members and three observers in the room.
I cannot speak on behalf of all of them, but I did sense in the room today a strong sense of consensus on expressing a rejection of these legal moves and we are trying to support the Commissioner General and the organisation on any means to protect the agency and the continued operation.
So I did not sense any any type of dissent on on or or or different of opinions on this.
If we look at funding as well, all donors except for one have resumed funding for the organisation.
So I do sense that in the among the donor countries and the host countries that are represented in the outcome, there is a strong support for the continuation of onerous activities, strong rejection of the measures adopted and strong support for the work of the Commissioner General and and UNRWA.
This crucial point point in time.
Thanks Anton.
Next is we go to Almaydin, followed by Reuters and Kuna, and then we will go online for a few questions and see how we go after that.
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[Other language spoken]
Next is Reuters, please.
Hi, good afternoon, Emma Farge from Reuters.
[Other language spoken]
One was on a looting incident at the weekend, which seems to have been one of the worst, maybe the worst since the war began.
Can you tell us what this shows?
And also, do you suspect that you were in any way lured into a trap by the Israelis?
I know there was a last minute change of route which I wanted to get your opinion on.
Secondly, is the fact maybe for Mr Lace as well, the fact that this meeting is taking place in Geneva of any significance, Does it have anything to do with your crisis?
[Other language spoken]
Or is that just a coincidence?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
We start with Mr Lacerini about the convoy and then we go to you, Lace.
[Other language spoken]
It it seems you have more details than I have, but regarding the last minute change of Rd.
But I confirm indeed that they have been looting.
More than 100 trucks have been looted, primarily UNWA and the WFP, basically 8090% of the convoy on that day.
What does it shows?
Well, we have been warning a long time ago about the total breakdown of civil order until, you know, 4-5 months ago we still had local capacity people who were escorting the convoy.
This has completely gone, which means we are in an environment where, you know, local gangs, local families are struggling among each other to take control of any business or any activities taking place in the South.
It has become an impossible environment to operate.
Related to this incident, we had also 100 of people would try to storm into the Hanunis Vocational Centre because they thought that the food arrived there and people were so desperate to get to have the food that they storm into the kitties into the vocational training centre.
But the convoys were looted, so there was absolutely nothing to take from the warehouses in Hanunis.
[Other language spoken]
Just to clarify Emma for you and everyone, the Onioness Vocational training centre is something that is run by by Indra and we'll come back to you on whether the route has has changed of of the convoy a little bit later.
Mr Lace over to you.
[Other language spoken]
On the question of Geneva, why Geneva as normal rules of under apply, these meetings take place in the Middle East, in the region, in Jordan, but we leave no normal times.
And of course there is a significance in having this meeting in the birth place of international law and international humanitarian law, which is Geneva.
We wanted to have good attendance of from capitals and that's well in consultation with the organisation and the Member States, we decided to come in here in Geneva.
[Other language spoken]
Last here for now is KUNA with the Kuwait News Agency.
[Other language spoken]
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[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
We have a couple of questions.
We start with DPA, the German news agency.
Please go ahead, winner.
[Other language spoken]
Who re intelligence to press Almond is civil permit.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
One is to Mr Lace.
You say there's a lot of support in the room and everyone agrees unreplaceable.
But what concretely can the members of the advisory committee do between now and January to to make sure that these laws are not implemented?
And I have one question to Mr Lazarini.
Can you, can you talk about what kinds of contacts you personally have with the Israeli authorities?
And could UNRWA operate without a presence in Israel?
Could they access the Gaza Strip, I don't know from Egypt.
Or is there any way that you can envisage UNRWA operating without a presence in Israel?
[Other language spoken]
OK, We start with you, Mr Lace, please.
Well, I on what it is that Member States can do already.
Convening this meeting and agreeing on these important points and giving guidance to the organisation is is significant.
Mr Lacerini already mentioned a few additional actions that are being taken in New York and of course it's incumbent on each of us in our capacity to convey to the Israeli authorities the importance of suspending the application of these laws so that we do not face the catastrophic situation I was I was mentioning before.
But indeed all diplomatic means are are at play and we are trying to do everything we can.
In all four.
In the UN General Assembly there was a meeting that the Commissioner General attended.
Of course, here in the outcome that is an advisory body, but an important body to convey messages to the organisation.
In this case, is a clear message of support and commitment to do everything we can to stop the implementation of of of of these loss over to you.
Yes, short answer, most of the activities we won't be able to pursue, especially in Gaza, because any movement needs to be the conflicted.
Even if we would come in from Egypt, we would need to coordinate with the Israeli authority.
And the law is very clear.
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They do not even want another agency to contact Israel on our behalf.
On your question, what are my contact with Israel?
The agency has contact but as you know, few months ago the Minister of an Affair has prohibited the member of the Ministry of Affair to have direct contact with the Commissioner General.
But we have the contactor at the level of our various director on the ground and also with my deputies.
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We stay online.
The Associated Press, Please go ahead.
Thank you very much.
This is Jamie from Associated Press.
I had a question for both Mr Lazzarini and for Mr Laisse.
Mr Laisse, you just answered the question from from my colleague at DPA, Christiana.
Could you please just tell us what you expect at the end of this meeting, specifically, concretely, what do you expect?
And then for Mr Lazzarini, you have both both both been speaking about diplomatic pressure that you hope will be mobilised with regard to Israel to try to convince its authorities to, to, to back away from this, from this for their plans.
How are you going to do that exactly?
In other words, the United States, which is a good friend of, of, of Israel, has been putting various forms of diplomatic pressure on Israel over the last many months.
And to be honest, it hasn't always, even their best friend has not been able to get Israel to do what it wants.
So how are you going to convince Israel to do this?
And particularly if I could just add his last question in there.
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I mean, there's been a lot of calls from reform of UNRWA since this decision by the Knesset was announced.
What reforms have you proposed, planned to convince the Israelis that progress is being made at UNRWA, that maybe could have them back away?
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We will start with Mr Lace, the first question on the outcomes of the meeting.
Over to you.
Well, I think what we are expecting here is of course a clear message of support by everyone that participates in Unrwa's advisory Commission, that is host countries and donor countries.
It's a very diverse group.
There are countries from the so-called global S, global N countries that host Palestine refugees, countries that contribute financially to the to the organisation.
So what we expect is this diverse group to send a unified message of support to the organisation and this crucial moment in history where it's the continuation of its activities is is being put into into question.
And and a clear message also on the concern, the grave concern that these members share about the Knesset laws if they're actually implemented.
So as the Commissioner General mentioned and I said in the in the previous response, we are using every platform, every forum available to convey those messages.
And it is only natural that the Advisory Commission of Unruh, that is a body contemplated in Unruh's governance as the one where donor countries and host countries are represented, that we send this message of unified support for the continuation of the activities of the organisation and the grave concern about the several attacks the organisation is suffering.
And of course we've been focusing on the legal attack, but there is also there are discussions also about what is happening on the ground, the difficulties to operate some some of the questions were were alluding to that and the campaigns of misinformation and misinformation that go around the organisation.
So it is important also to set the record straight and explain what UNRWA does and what UNRWA does differently from other UN agencies and why.
And this is a reality on the ground, why UNRWA is indispensable and irreplaceable.
And I think on that, let's face it, in the public opinion it is important to convey this message because I am not sure when you listen to some voices that this is clearly understood on on some corners.
UNRWA is like no other organisation active now in Gaza or in the broader region.
It is an organisation that is more similar to a government, provide services till till the very last mile and that is not the case for all other humanitarian and development partners whose work we value deeply and in, in the case of my agents, in the case of Spain, we work very closely with, but they cannot replace the activities.
All rights carrying out at the moment is simply not realistic.
Thank you Mr Liz, Mr Lizzarini, over to you.
Perhaps the two questions can be merged also because we have also other people in the room.
Over to you.
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The two questions are quite different, but on the first one, we are given a voice.
It would be easy today to give up and I do believe that we still owe to the Palestinian refugees and applied to exhaust all possible avenues.
So we will be operating until the day we cannot operate anymore and meanwhile meanwhile we will exhaust all possible diplomatic Ave.
One of them I described at the beginning is if today there is a political pathway, just make sure that the role of the agency is stress clearly delineated so that we can accompany the process and hand over after that to an empowered Palestinian authorities.
Now if the pathway is goes in the opposite direction, obviously we would certainly not be able to come to that.
What reform the reform member states are referring to in all statement at the GA are the reform related to the implementation of the Catherine Colonel report, encouraging the agency to commit to encouraging the agency to implement all its recommendation.
And for this we need also the support of member state.
Some of them have contributed resources to help the agency.
That's a reform in the mind of the Member State.
Right, thank you very much.
We're back in the room with Al Jazeera and then with France, Vankat and The Lancet.
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OK, thanks very much.
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And the room is for France Vancat, the Landsat.
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Sorry, we can come back to you in a minute.
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President Lula has made the epicentre of his summit to combat hunger globally as we are speaking.
You might recall a few days ago the IPC 5 was revised upwards for famine in Gaza.
What is your message to the G20 leaders on this issue as I convene in closed door sessions to discuss the multilateral issues?
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You ask what is my public message to the G21?
You know, if that's a purity, and I hope it is, Gaza being a man made hunger situation with a looming famine, it's certainly one of the easiest place to make a difference because in Gaza you need only political will to reverse this spread of hunger and this looming famine.
Whereas in other context the response might be much more complicated because of climate change factors.
But the straightforward is definitely better.
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You've asked for the floor back, Jamie from AP.
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And then we come back to the room.
The last question is for Anna Dulo.
Thank you very much for letting me have the floor back.
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I just wanted to understand what you said earlier because it sounded kind of interesting You, you said that that you're talking about a political pathway that could that they could be clearly delineated so that you can accompany a process to a handover.
Are you essentially saying that UNRWA is preparing as a contingency plan to hand over its operations to the Palestinian Authority if it comes to that?
I just want to make sure what is your contingency plan?
Is that it?
There was a shortcut in in your interpretation right now I was talking about.
To.
Hand over to the I am I'm I'm planning to hand over to the future state of Palestine and we are talking today of a political pathway leading to a two state solution with after that empowered Palestinian authorities.
And that could be part of the lasting and durable solution.
And that would be also the viable alternative for Anwar today.
You know, we we are all mobilised and struggling to make sure that the agency to continue to provide access to critical services beyond end of January.
And for this we need to stop the implementation of this law.
But after that, to make sure that we do not have a Democrat sword on our head, that we agree that if generally there is a commitment for lasting political solution, an agency like ours has a play to role by ensuring access to education to the children who will be the future of a Palestinian state and also to help to capacitate future education services in this environment.
And here believe that Anwar has indeed a unique role to play.
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Last question here is for Anna Dulo and then we have to go.
Thank you Weiza Domes and the lieu.
I want to return to the Knesset issue.
You already mentioned that Unrah is feeling the impact of the Knesset law and there is need to be a political pressure.
I want to ask while in this progress, what specific actions can, you know, international organisation and other international community can take the safeguards, Palestinians access to aid and services?
And did the UN communicate with the US recently on the Israelis ban decision?
And also I want to ask secondly, while Winterfest approaching, what does Unrwa's plan to address the needs for winter supplies and housing of the displaced families in Gaza, especially in the north?
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Yeah, just shortly, the US is part of the Advisory Commission.
So they are part of our discussion and obviously the impact of the Knesset law are at the centre.
In fact of our discussion.
We are in contact with number of NGOs about the future contingency, but the real contingency plan discussion.
Is taking place in Jerusalem with what we call in our jargon, the Human Turn Country team, bringing together all the UN agencies and NGO partners.
The contingency plan is mainly focusing on urgent human turn response.
They're not talking about who can step in to take over education or Primary Health because there is a realisation within this broader community that no one else can't step in.
In the absence of a functioning state in Gaza, as you know, we have difficulties to access.
You heard about the the looting yesterday.
Number of trucks has drastically decreased, especially in October, but still in November.
So since more than six weeks now, winter is here but it's difficult, extra shaking, the difficult to bring non food items or equipment for the winter.
Thanks Mr Lace, last word.
Well, just to say that of course winter is a concern.
So it's education as well.
And as part of this meeting we are going to have a side event on, on education.
It's already almost 2 academic years that children in Gaza have gone without education.
And as the Commissioner General was was saying, this is very concerning also for the future, for the human capital of Gaza and for Palestine more generally, but also sowing the seed of future conflict as well.
We need to work with these children.
And let me also add one thing on the question of hunger.
The biggest determinant of hunger in the world, not just in the West Bank and Gaza, is conflict is not climate change.
So the best way of ensuring, and as our Brazilian friends are chairing the G20 and G20 meeting is happening today, that we are able to provide food for everyone and we can fight hunger is to end conflicts.
And actually that is and also an additional reason why Spain has been so actively involved in Unrua and more generally on the conflict and countries are doing what they can.
I think in the case of Spain, we've gone beyond words.
We have recognised the State of Palestine alongside other member member states with the purpose of prompting a political solution on the problem and having two parties that can discuss the only solution that is on the table, of course, which is the 2 state solution.
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With that, thank you very much and we'll see you next time.