TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Palestine on Wednesday, July 1, rejected attempts to "weaken" the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and stressed that the institution remains a "crucial lifeline" for the Palestinian people.
As ANTARA reported, U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace declared Wednesday that "UNRWA has no place in the new Gaza."
"We are turning the page on the complex of perpetual aid dependency & conflict. The people of Gaza deserve better," the council said on its X account.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that UNRWA "plays a vital role" in providing education, health care, social protection and emergency assistance throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, as well as in refugee camps in several neighboring countries hosting refugees.
The ministry stressed that UNRWA was established under a UN mandate and operates in accordance with international law. It said the agency's work was welcomed by the State of Palestine and called for its continued operations, describing UNRWA as an "irreplaceable" institution and a "main pillar of stability."
The ministry rejected attempts to "weaken UNRWA's mandate" without addressing the root causes of the Palestinian refugee problem and stressed that humanitarian aid cannot replace the "inalienable rights" of the Palestinian people, including the rights of refugees under UN General Assembly Resolution 194.
The ministry also rejected terminology that seeks to divide Palestinian geography and identity and reiterated that the Gaza Strip is "an integral part of the occupied State of Palestine." The statement added that Palestinians are “one nation” throughout the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the diaspora.
The Ministry called on all countries, institutions, and international organizations to respect the UNRWA mandate, privileges, and immunities under international law.
The ministry also called for ensuring the protection of the institution, including its personnel and facilities, until a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian refugee issue is reached in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
The Board of Peace was established in January 2026 at Trump's behest as part of efforts to reach a peaceful settlement in Gaza. The first council meeting on Gaza was held on February 19 at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington under Trump's leadership.
The initiative is part of Trump's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, backed by a UN Security Council resolution from November of last year.
With U.S. support, Israel launched a genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 73,000 Palestinians and injuring more than 173,000, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian figures.
Read: Board of Peace to Meet in Cyprus Next Week: What Are the Agendas?
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