The head of UNRWA, the UN’s embattled agency for helping Palestinian refugees, has said that he won’t accede to Israeli calls for him to step down.
Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, reacted to a question about whether he would resign over accusations that 12 of its staff were involved in the 7 October attacks.
“If the issue was leadership, I would agree with you,” Mr Lazzarini said.
“The real issue is not leadership; it is the dismantling of the organisation. Whoever will be at the helm of the organisation, the objective to dismantle UNRWA will still remain. So, I don’t believe that leaving a boat in turmoil is the answer to give today.”
The UNRWA provides vital aid for huge numbers of displaced Gazans but has been thrown into disarray after Israel alleged that 12 staff members were involved in the Hamas 7 October attack.
The UN agency swiftly dismissed those staff members ahead of an investigation, but more than a dozen countries, including the UK and the US, have suspended funding, leaving UNRWA facing a $450m shortfall and an “existential threat”, according to Mr Lazzarini.
He added in his defence that he was appointed by the UN secretary-general and reports to the UN General Assembly. “We have the support of the vast majority of member states. The [resignation] call comes only from one member state.”
He was in Dublin for talks with Ireland’s deputy prime minister Micheal Martin, who announced an increase in Ireland’s UNRWA funding to €20m for this year, and accused Israel of a “disinformation campaign” against the agency.
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