Safadi, Swedish counterpart co-chair meeting to rally support for UNRWA, condemn Israeli actions

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Stenergard co-chaired the ninth ministerial meeting to rally support for UNRWA.

 The meeting, organised by Jordan and Sweden, took place on Thursday on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

During the meeting, which was attended by foreign ministers from 42 countries and eight heads of UN organisations, Safadi stressed that the ministerial meeting to support UNRWA is a testament to the international community’s trust in the agency and its essential and vital role in serving Palestinian refugees. 

He condemned Israel's false accusations aimed at undermining the agency as part of its broader efforts to dissolve the Palestinian cause and the refugee issue.

Safadi called for the international community’s renewed mandate for UNRWA to be translated into concrete actions and practical political and financial support to safeguard the agency. He said that “every dollar sent to UNRWA means saving a life.”

The minister pointed out that UNRWA has made significant sacrifices, with 224 of its staff killed by Israel in Gaza, and its shelters currently hosting 1.9 million Palestinians who have lost their homes and neighbourhoods due to Israeli aggression. 

Safadi stressed that Israel seeks to end UNRWA to extinguish the Palestinian people's hope for resolving the refugee issue. 

In a joint press conference with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, held after the meeting, Safadi urged the international community to stand against Israel which gives itself the right to label UNRWA as a terrorist organisation, which is considered "a blatant violation" of international law.

Lazzarini called for protecting UNRWA's role in Gaza and for a ceasefire in the entire region. 

He rejected attempts to discredit UNRWA and end its operations, saying that such actions not only threaten Palestinian refugees but also undermine the multilateral system and the prospect of a political solution.

Lazzarini highlighted that UNRWA needs a sustainable funding model, as its operations are only secured until the end of October, with a deficit of $80 million for 2024 and 2025.

He warned that the future of the agency remains highly uncertain, particularly with the suspension of significant funding from some major donor countries.

Safadi also participated in the ministerial meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), chaired by Norway, which coordinates international assistance to Palestinians.

During the meeting, Safadi expressed appreciation for Norway's support for the two-state solution and its leading role in efforts to provide economic support to Palestine through its chairmanship of the AHLC.

He stressed the need to support the Palestinian economy, pointing out that Israel is imposing an embargo on the Palestinian economy and preventing basic life necessities, which requires an international stance to support the Palestinian people and ensure decent living conditions for them.

At another ministerial meeting organised by the ministerial committee assigned by the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Developments in the Gaza Strip, alongside Norway and the EU, on the situation in Gaza and implementing the two-state solution as a path to achieving comprehensive and just peace, Safadi said that Israel has crossed all boundaries. 

Safadi said that Israel enjoys an international immunity that allows it to continue its violations of international law, causing death and destruction. 

He called for lifting this international immunity and taking practical steps to compel Israel to stop its violations of international law, as well as to stop its aggression against Gaza and Lebanon and end the resulting humanitarian catastrophe.

Safadi pointed out that Israel has defied UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, as well as the International Court of Justice, urging the imposition of sanctions on Israel by the international community. 

He said: "The European Union can impose sanctions, and the UN Security Council can impose sanctions under Chapter VII and stop the supply of weapons to Israel."

He reiterated the need to respect the Palestinian state and grant Palestine full membership in the UN as a means to achieve peace and realise the Palestinian state, preventing the region's future from being held hostage by the most extremist government in Israel's history.

Safadi on Friday held meetings with Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, and Morocco Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. 

During these meetings, Safadi and his counterparts discussed the latest developments in the region, efforts to stop Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon, the dangerous escalation in the West Bank, as well as bilateral relations with their respective countries and ways to enhance cooperation in various fields.

The minister on Friday also participated in the open session of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue. 

The session was held in New York on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.