Despite Trump’s attempts, UNRWA’s mandate will be renewed

The renewal of UNRWA’s mandate and cutting back on its deficit, in an effort to prevent the United States from succeeding in ending the Palestinian refugee file and eliminating UNRWA

RAMALLAH, September 26, 2019 (WAFA) — The Palestinians have mustered enough votes to renew the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) for three more years, said Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

He told Palestine TV that there were several key issues that President Mahmoud Abbas has focused on in New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly deliberations.

“The main issue on our agenda is the renewal of UNRWA’s mandate and cutting back on its deficit,” he said, adding that President Abbas was able to mobilize as much international support as possible to renew UNRWA’s mandate for three more years and to cut its deficit in an effort to prevent the United States from succeeding in ending the Palestinian refugee file and eliminating UNRWA.

Regarding the ongoing corruption investigation in UNRWA, he said: “I have been instructed by the President to send a letter to the UN Secretary-General demanding to speed up the investigation. We want transparency and accountability, but not at the expense of the Palestinian refugee.”

He pointed out that several countries have given reassuring messages about their commitment to UNRWA. The Belgian Prime Minister said during his meeting with President Abbas that his country paid up everything to UNRWA in 2019, in addition to 4.5 million euros. New Zealand and Switzerland have also paid all their dues, while the Netherlands said it was waiting for the results of the investigation.

“I think we have all the votes needed to renew the Agency’s mandate for three years in November,” said Erekat.

The second issue the President has focused on in New York, added Erekat, is linked to the two-state solution principle on the basis of international law that would lead to the establishment of the independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital and resolve the final status issues, especially the issue of refugees in accordance with UN resolution 194 and the release of prisoners as presented in the vision proposed by Abbas to hold an international peace conference with full powers within timelines and specific implementation mechanisms and guarantees.

He explained that the third issue relates to donor countries. “There is a body called the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) of donor countries established in 1994 and headed by Norway to build the institutions of the State of Palestine. The United States tried to jump over that by holding the Manama workshop and convert the Palestinian cause to a humanitarian issue.”

The AHLC held a meeting in New York on the sideline of the General Assembly deliberations. The meeting was attended by the Palestinian Authority and the donor countries.

“We believe in the commitment of the countries of the world to help the Palestinian people to build the institutions of their state. We are not a people in need of charity, but we are under occupation and we seek to build our state,” said Erekat.

M.K.