More Palestinians will die if Israel implements UNRWA ban, with Chris Gunness

This month, The New York Times claimed that UN officials “are preparing to shutter UNRWA operations in both Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.”

This is because of a law passed by the Israeli parliament in late October prohibiting the UN agency that serves Palestinian refugees from operating in the occupied Palestinian territories.

That law is set to take effect at the end of January.

But UNRWA's head Philippe Lazzarini said that his teams “are committed to stay and deliver.” Will they be able to do so if Israel decides to shut the agency down?

UNRWA is a lifeline for some 6 million Palestinian refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine. Its tens of thousands of workers provide basic health, education, job training and other vital services.

In Gaza, amid the ongoing genocide, UNRWA is only organization with the capacity to distribute life-saving food aid to any significant number of Palestinians there. Lives depend on its work.

The looming Israeli move to eliminate UNRWA’s operations in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip is not the first threat to the agency, but it may be the most serious.

We talk about this with Chris Gunness, who served as UNRWA’s spokesperson for more than a decade, including during Israel’s 2014 war on Gaza.

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[saad]

"When calling out a Genocide as a Genocide, upsets some people more than the Genocide itself, being lost for words is an understatemen

[ShaheedMahomed]

Thank you for your objective coverage and exposure on how imperialism uses control over aid to commit war crimes

[naymatunc-rcvs]

Thank you electronic intifada for your humanity and honesty

[Nyx]

😢One cannot believe the cruelty of the Jews in Israel after what they went through under Nazi Germany.😢

[meta-memes]

I thought unrwa was banned long ago. Glad they’re still there

[saraloualphonso]

Never apologize for showing your feelings. I cried too chris. Thank you all Ali, Nora chris❤

[UTubeISphere]

22:47 onwards: about UNRWA's digital records - land deeds, etc - going back to 1948 and beyond, which could serve as a source for compensation

[CarminaLopez-iced]

Thank you Electronic Intifada for your great work
Following from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

[SubbanGovender]

It is times like this when words mean nothing and to think the people that serve this organization do so on humanitarian grounds without the comfort of knowing that they will be paid. It is very tough being human today and living through this and we can do nothing apart from airing our views and all we can hope for is that countries may find it within themselves to make an effort to support this important organization and the thought the kids are going to starve is more the reason for countries to get more vocal. As much as we are handicapped, we will never allow these stories to confined to some library we will demand that this is taught in schools so that the world will know for years to come and the perpetrators, forever hang their heads in shame and disgust, of the actions of their forefathers. We will continue to give voices to the course of the UN and its agencies and we will be forever Indebted to the hard works that this distinguished gentleman and the hundreds of Palestinians that do this without out a misstep and to you all THANK YOU FOR THIS NOBLE ACTION AND REMEMBER IT IS BUT ONLY A FEW THAT WILL BE GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT YOU DO IT IS FOR VERY SPECAIL PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFORDED THIS GIFT AND AT TIMES IT WILL FEEL THAT IT IS A LOSING BATTLE BUT YOU NOT. Thank you once again and just as URWA job does not stop neither would ours, remain blessed

[chiarayavhnoska]

the notion that UNRWA relieves isnotreal of its legal responsibilities as an (hideous and anachronistic) occupier may be and is true, but israeli society is too severely narcissistic, hysterical in clinical terms, to appraise reality in any consensual, or genuinely negotiated, form. they want palestinians all dead and gone, to them there's no responsibility under no law, only splitting and acting out their inherent genocidal colonial 'victory'.
but was glad to have confirmation that the UNRWA archives are preserved. Palestinians have learned how genociders operate, and that is not that hard to see their real, entirely most immoral, intentions.

[juno-hv]

Why are we letting Israel decide about UNRWA?

[marikacooper]

I so appreciate Chris Gunnes information, we need to hear this ❤

[gauravvarma]

Such an insightful interview, thanks for sharing

[donnavorce]

.y t censors won't allow me to comment. But I'm here.

[suzannerouleau]

Thank you Chris. I feel so moved by your testimony. 🙏🙏🫂

[UTubeISphere]

Roughly 25:00 onwards: likely developments in Jerusalem, i.e. annexation, and what the UN Secretary General and Arab States could do to prevent it.

[queenebonyqueenebony]

We are on the side of truth-from the river to the sea our brothers and sisters in Palestine will be

[kennethmoore-cqbj]

Following from Manizales, Colombia thank you!

[THEMISTOCLESS]

Hostages, anyone .... nah why bother

[jenw]

I am sure Ms. Friedman's family is so proud!