Statement by Denmark at The Informal meeting of the General Assembly on UNRWA

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Thank you, Mr. President

We are gathered here today as members of the very Assembly that granted UNRWA its mandate 75 years ago and has reaffirmed it ever since.

Since its establishment in 1949, UNRWA has provided essential services to millions of people in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and across the region in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. UNRWA remains the backbone of the wider humanitarian response in Gaza. No organization can replace it. This has been reaffirmed by the heads of UN humanitarian agencies as well as the Security Council.

We condemn any attempt to abrogate the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA, or by other means attempt to obstruct the organization’s capacity to operate its mandate. We therefore regret Israel’s recent letter to the UN, notifying the GA of its termination of its host agreement and the latest attacks on UNRWA facilities in the West Bank.

These steps will have far-reaching consequences: In Gaza, it will deepen the suffering of Palestinians de facto preventing UNRWA’s lifesaving operations. It will further hamper UNRWA’s operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

It may also further destabilise the situation in the region, jeopardize the prospects for a two-state solution and entail a violation of Israel’s obligations under international law, including the United Nations Charter, international humanitarian law, and the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice. We are further mindful, that the Knesset bills constitute a very concerning negative precedent against the United Nations as a whole.

We urge the Israeli Government to abide by its international obligations, respect the privileges and immunities of UNRWA, and live up to its responsibility to allow and facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance into and throughout the entire Gaza strip.

In this regard, we are deeply concerned about the apparent disregard for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers: Over the past year, at least 322 aid workers have been killed in Gaza including 237 UNRWA staff. This is unprecedented in the UN’s history.

Mr. President,

Following serious allegations directed towards some UNRWA staff, we welcome the prompt follow-up action initiated by the United Nations Secretary-General and the UNRWA Commissioner General, and we continue to follow its implementation.

In closing, Denmark would like to reaffirm our support to UNRWA and underline that this Assembly is the only body that can define UNRWA’s mandate or determine its fate, emphasizing that as long as there is no sustainable political solution to the conflict, the mandate of UNRWA will remain vital. 

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