26/4/2025
Abu Holi: UNRWA is part of the international system that upholds multilateralism, and the U.S. decision does not revoke its status as a UN agency
— The U.S. decision is politically motivated and aligns with Israel’s plans to dismantle UNRWA —
The Refugee Affairs Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) condemned the decision by the U.S. Department of Justice not to recognize the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) as a UN body and to deny it the diplomatic immunity that protects it from lawsuits in the United States.
Dr. Ahmad Abu Holi, member of the PLO Executive Committee and head of the Refugee Affairs Department, stated that the decision by the U.S. Department of Justice is a dangerous precedent, a direct attack on the international community that overwhelmingly adopted Resolution 302 in 1949, a breach of international law, and a flagrant violation of the UN Charter (including Articles 2 and 105), UN resolutions related to the immunity and protection of international organizations—including Resolution 302 under Article 17—and the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.
He added that the U.S. decision to lift UNRWA’s immunity and not regard it as part of the United Nations will open the door to legal action against the agency in U.S. courts. He noted that the decision aligns with Israel’s efforts to dismantle UNRWA, particularly the two laws passed by the Israeli Knesset in October that ban UNRWA’s work and activities in occupied East Jerusalem. These laws undermine the agency’s mandate in Palestinian territories and encourage Israeli authorities to proceed with closing UNRWA offices, schools, clinics, and relief centers in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.
Dr. Abu Holi described the U.S. decision—which followed a lawsuit filed by families of Israeli-American victims of the October 7 attack, accusing UNRWA of shielding staff allegedly involved in the incident and demanding financial compensation—as a politically motivated and hasty move. He pointed out that the independent review panel established by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on February 5, 2024, led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, found no evidence supporting the Israeli allegations against UNRWA staff. Israel failed to provide any proof to support its claims.
He emphasized that UNRWA is an integral part of the United Nations and of the international system that promotes multilateralism. The U.S. decision does not nullify UNRWA’s status as a UN entity, and it amounts to collective punishment of millions of Palestinian refugees who depend on the agency’s life-saving assistance—especially in Gaza, where it remains a vital lifeline amid the genocide waged by the Israeli occupation for over 17 months.
He added that UNRWA’s fate is determined by the 194 member states of the United Nations, where all states are equally represented. Neither the United States nor Israel has the authority to revoke UNRWA’s UN status or pursue it legally. He stressed that the UN General Assembly renewed UNRWA’s mandate by an overwhelming majority of 168 members in 2023 for three more years, extending its mandate until June 20, 2026.
Dr. Abu Holi called on the U.S. administration to reverse its anti-UNRWA decision and take a step forward by resuming its funding and protecting the agency’s mandate until a just solution to the refugee issue is found in accordance with Article 11 of Resolution 194. He also urged pressure on Israel to halt the implementation of laws banning UNRWA’s operations and to compel it to protect the agency and its staff, enabling it to carry out its duties as mandated by Resolution 302.
