Date: January 30, 2025
With the Danish Ambassador to Palestine, Dr. Abu Holi Discusses the Operational, Political and Financial Challenges Facing UNRWA, and the Israeli Laws Targeting It
Twelve UNRWA Facilities in Occupied East Jerusalem are Threatened with Closure and Confiscation as Israeli Laws Against UNRWA Take Effect
No Alternative to UNRWA As Long As There Is No Political Solution For the Refugees’ Issue Due to Israel’s Denial of the Right of Return
Today , Dr. Ahmad Abu Holi, member of the Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organization and head of the Refugee Affairs Department ,met with the Danish Ambassador to Palestine, Sigurd Haling, to discuss UNRWA situation as Israeli laws targeting the agency came into effect today, Thursday , and the ways to limit its impact on its mandate in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
They also discussed the operational, political and financial challenges facing UNRWA amid declining international support.
During the meeting which held today in the headquarters of the Refugee Affairs Department in Ramallah, Dr. Abu Holi stated that 12 UNRWA facilities in occupied Jerusalem, including its headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah and six schools are threatened with closure and confiscation by the entry into force of the two Israeli laws today, Thursday. This will lead to deprive of more than 110,000 refugees in Jerusalem from the services of UNRWA, including health care and humanitarian aid , in addition to reducing the agency’s operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Dr. Abu Holi called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities to protect UNRWA’s mandate and pressure Israel to, the occupying power, to suspend its laws against UNRWA, which conflict with its obligations under international law as a member state of the United Nations , bound by the General Convention on the privileges and immunities of the United Nations.
He added that there is no alternative to UNRWA as long as the political situation for Palestinian refugees remains absent due to Israel’s persistent denial of their right of return, as stipulated in UN Resolution 194.
Dr. Abu Holi re-emphasized that UNRWA is a lifeline for Palestinian refugees across its five areas of operations, and it cannot be replaced. He praised the international organizations that rejected to take over UNRWA’s responsibilities, particularly in the fields of education, healthcare humanitarian aid in the occupied in its areas of operation including the occupied Palestinian land.
He also stressed that Arab host countries absolutely reject holding additional burdens carried by UNRWA or any vacuum caused by the Israeli laws against the agency.
Dr. Abu Holi urged all the international organizations to implement their projects within Palestinian refugee camps solely through UNRWA, thereby enhancing its role and mandate according to the UN General Assembly Resolution 302.
He reaffirmed the vital role of UNRWA in providing life- saving humanitarian aid for millions of Palestinian refugees, considering it as the backbone for all humanitarian responses in Gaza, where it covered 60% of total aid delivered to the Gaza Strip during the 470 days of extermination and forced displacement . He emphasized that UNRWA represents a fundamental pillar for the regional stability.
Dr. Abu Holi expressed the deep concerns over UNRWA’s critical financial situation with the continuation of US funding cuts and Sweden’s suspension of its financial support for the current year , and four other major donor countries reducing their contributions. He underscored the urgency of securing adequate, predictable and sustainable funding for the agency.
He estimated the efforts of the donors and the host countries in addressing UNRWA’s financial crisis ,noting that the high budget deficit for the current year will affect the agency’s ability to provide services for the Palestinian refugees. He called for collective action to mobilize financial resources , urging donors to increase their contributions and European Union members states to provide flexible- non earnmarked funding.
Dr. Abu Holi commended Denmark’s commitment to supporting UNRWA, particularly through a multi-year agreement (2023-2027), which provides $15 million annually, totaling $75 million. He noted that Denmark was among the first nations to join and sign the Joint Commitments Initiative launched by Jordan, Kuwait, and Slovenia on May 22, 2024, aimed at addressing the operational, political, and financial challenges faced by UNRWA.
He further expressed hope that Denmark would play a key role in supporting UNRWA in the coming period, particularly during its EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2025. He urged Denmark to engage with Sweden to reconsider its decision to halt funding and to encourage EU member states to increase their support for UNRWA in 2025 instead of reducing it. He also called for a collective EU effort to pressure Israel to freeze the implementation of the laws restricting UNRWA’s operations in East Jerusalem and the broader occupied Palestinian territories.
Dr. Abu Holi also stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between Palestine and Denmark and called on Denmark to officially recognize the State of Palestine. He praised Denmark’s unwavering support for Palestinian rights at the United Nations and international forums, as well as its condemnation of Israeli policies of settlement expansion, forced displacement, and ethnic cleansing.
For his part, Danish Ambassador Sigurd Haling reaffirmed Denmark’s steadfast support for the Palestinian cause and its rejection of Israeli decisions targeting UNRWA. He noted that Denmark had contributed €14 million to support the agency and would continue working to mobilize international support to sustain UNRWA’s essential services and safeguard Palestinian refugees’ rights.
