(October 15, 2024)
One rogue nation cannot declare war on the UN itself and continue to get away with it
Archiv: Philippe Lazzarini
Statement of UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini to the United Nations General Assembly
I have three urgent requests to prevent this devastating outcome:
First, I ask that Member States act to prevent the implementation of the legislation against UNRWA.
Changes to UNRWA’s mandate are the prerogative of the General Assembly, not individual Member States.
Second, I ask that Member States ensure that any plan for a political transition delineates UNRWA’s role.
The Agency must progressively conclude its mandate within the framework of a political solution, and hand over its services to an empowered Palestinian administration.
Finally, I ask that Member States maintain funding to UNRWA, and do not withhold or divert funds on the assumption that the Agency can no longer operate.
The cost of providing critical services, including education and healthcare, during a transition will be immense.
I must also alert Member States that abruptly dismantling the Agency will cost more than half a billion dollars in staff separation indemnities alone.
At General Assembly, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini urges Member States to defend UNRWA
(November 6, 2024)
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini addressed the UN General Assembly, describing a critical moment for the agency as new Israeli legislation threatens its operations. Lazzarini urged member states to oppose the legislation, support UNRWA’s continued operation, and ensure sustained funding to prevent a humanitarian disaster.
UNRWA urges UN General Assembly to protect agency to avoid ‘chaos’
(November 7, 2024)
“Without intervention by member states, UNRWA will collapse, plunging millions of Palestinians into chaos,” Philippe Lazzarini warned during a special session requested by Palestine after the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, passed on Monday two laws to ban the agency’s activity and any Israeli official’s contacts with it within three months.
Israel is a rogue nation. It should be removed from the United Nations
(October 15, 2024)
One rogue nation cannot declare war on the UN itself and continue to get away with it
Charter Chapter XIV: The International Renewal Court of Justice
Article 96
(1) The General Assembly, the Governing Council or the Security Council may request the International Renewal Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on any legal question.
(2) Other organs of the Renewed United Nations and specialised agencies, which may at any time be so authorised by the Governing Council or by the General Assembly, may also request advisory opinions of the Court on legal questions arising within the scope of their activities.
‚The smell of death is everywhere‘ in northern Gaza: UN
In a post on X, Lazzarini stated that Unrwa staff are struggling to find food, water, or medicine in the war-torn region.
He remarked, “The smell of death is everywhere as bodies are left lying on the roads or under the rubble. Missions to clear the bodies or provide humanitarian assistance are denied.”
Lazzarini emphasised the need for an “immediate truce, even if only for a few hours,” to facilitate safe passage for families seeking refuge.
‚Free fall descent into barbarism‘: UN Agency head laments 1 year of war on Gaza
The UN Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) head, Philippe Lazzarini, on Monday described the situation in Gaza as a “free fall descent into barbarism”, underscoring the desperate need for diplomacy and an end to the violence, Anadolu Agency reports.
On X, he said the Gaza Strip, home to two million people, has been transformed into “an unrecognisable sea of rubble after twelve months of relentless air strikes and warfare.”
Israel will no longer approve Unrwa food convoys to northern Gaza, says agency‘s chief
In a post on social media platform X, Philippe Lazzarini said Israeli authorities informed the UN of the decision, which he called „outrageous“.
„As of today, Unrwa, the main lifeline for Palestine Refugees, is denied from providing lifesaving assistance to northern Gaza,“ Lazzarini said.
On the day new data is out on famine in #GAZA, the Israeli Authorities deny my entry to Gaza.
-Famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip, expected to arrive between now and May.
– Two million people= the entire population of Gaza is facing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse.
– Half the population has completely exhausted food supplies and coping capacities. They are struggling with catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5) and starvation.
– This is the highest number of people ever recorded as facing catastrophic hunger by the IPC system and double the number just three months ago.
– Earlier, UNICEF warned that the # of children under two years old suffering from acute malnutrition has doubled in one month.
– Children are now dying of dehydration & hunger.
@UNRWA has by far the largest presence among all humanitarian organisations in Gaza.
My visit today was supposed to coordinate & improve the humanitarian response.
This man-made starvation under our watch is a stain on our collective humanity.
Too much time was wasted, all land crossings must open now. Famine can be averted with political will.
#Gaza on two separate incidents the Israeli Forces opened fire on an @UNRWA school in Khan Younis (southwest). As a result, two @UNRWA colleagues on duty were shot, one was killed. Despite multiple attempts, we couldn‘t retrieve his body. Humanitarian workers #NotATarget, they should be protected.
@antonioguterres, in consultation @UNLazzarini, has appointed an independent review group to assess whether @UNRWA is doing everything within its power to ensure neutrality & respond to allegations of serious breaches:
Lifesaving programmes in peril, UNRWA chief urges countries to reconsider funding suspension
Nine countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, have suspended funding to UNRWA following allegations that several Agency staff were involved in the 7 October terror attacks in southern Israel
Mr. Lazzarini said that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the highest investigative body in the UN system, has already been seized of the matter.
“An investigation by OIOS into the heinous allegations will establish the facts,” he said.
UNRWA fund cuts by the West ‘collective punishment’ against Palestinians
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said he was shocked such decisions were taken as “famine looms” in Gaza, which has been devastated by nearly four months of relentless Israeli bombardment that has killed more than 26,000 people.
The agency, with its 13,000 employees in Gaza, is the main organisation aiding Gaza’s population amid the humanitarian disaster. More than two million of the besieged enclave’s 2.3 million people depend on the UNRWA for “sheer survival”, including food and shelter, Lazzarini said, warning this lifeline can “collapse any time now”.
Serious allegations against UNRWA staff in the Gaza Strip
(26.01.2024)
„The Israeli Authorities have provided UNRWA with information about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on Israel on 7 October.
“To protect the Agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay. Any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.
‘I will not give up’ on push for Gaza humanitarian ceasefire: Guterres
Also addressing the conference in Qatar, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said the dehumanisation of Palestinians has allowed the international community to tolerate Israel’s continued bombardment of Gaza, which has led to more than 17,000 deaths since 7 October.
“There is no doubt that a humanitarian ceasefire is needed if we want to put an end to hell of earth right now in Gaza”, said Philippe Lazzarini.
South of #Gaza: At an overcrowded @unrwa shelter, it’s cold, sewage is flooding. A father burst into tears. He wore same clothes for 45 days. Sleeps on the floor, asked for food. Stripped of dignity. His story is the story of more than 1.4 million people displaced in #Gaza
Gaza: Lack of fuel threatening to shut down ‘entire’ humanitarian operation
In a wide-ranging briefing to journalists in Geneva, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini reiterated calls for a ceasefire and addressed misinformation targeting the agency, including claims that aid is being diverted.
He said he has also received reports of UN schools being used “for military purposes”.
During the briefing, Mr. Lazzarini said he had received reports that Gaza was under a communications blackout due to the lack of fuel.
He repeated his earlier warning that UNRWA is running out of fuel, thus putting lifesaving support to 2.2 million in Gaza at risk. Everything from aid delivery, to water supply, to even accessing cash from ATM machines will be impacted. (…)
While the agency received a “tiny shipment” of fuel – half a truck – on Wednesday, he said “it was delivered with conditionalities”. The fuel can only be used for trucks collecting goods arriving at the Rafah crossing with Egypt, meaning that water desalination plants, sewage pumping systems or bakeries will go without.
“As from yesterday 70 per cent of the population just in the south has no access anymore to clean water, and as of today, we have raw sewage starting to flow in the streets,” he said.
LIVE : I received REPORTS that several @UNRWA schools (in the north) have been used for military purposes, including REPORTS of a recent discovery of weapons in schools (in the north) AND the positioning of Israeli Forces tanks in at least two @UN schools (in the north of Gaza).
Our entire operation is now on the verge of collapse. By the end of today, around 70 % of the population in #Gaza won’t have access to clean water. To have fuel for trucks only will not save lives anymore. Waiting longer will cost lives.
(9 hours ago)