Date: 11/2/2026
He called on the institute to push for a European decision recognizing that obstructing UNRWA’s work constitutes a violation of the EU Partnership Agreement, warranting immediate sanctions.
He urged the establishment of a European emergency fund to secure UNRWA’s budget to address its $384 million deficit.
He emphasized the importance of activating legal protection for the agency’s headquarters, especially in Jerusalem.
He encouraged the institute to lead a dialogue in the European Parliament for collective recognition of the State of Palestine.
Dr. Ahmad Abu Holi, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and head of the Department of Refugee Affairs, met with Bjorn Kuhne, Advisor to the Head of the European Institute of Peace (EIP), to discuss ways to protect UNRWA, mobilize resources to cover its budget deficit, improve camp conditions amid current challenges, and counter recent Israeli Cabinet decisions and plans aimed at dismantling UNRWA and undermining Palestinian refugee rights.
During the meeting, held at the Department of Refugee Affairs headquarters in Ramallah, Dr. Abu Holi welcomed the EIP delegation, praising the institute’s vital role in supporting the Palestinian narrative within European frameworks, its consistent backing of the two-state solution, and its efforts to strengthen the unity of the Palestinian political system, build national capacities, and enhance the efficiency of Palestinian institutions.
He commended the institute’s progressive stance on settlement issues and UNRWA protection, as well as its efforts to encourage several countries to resume support for the agency. He reaffirmed the Palestinian leadership’s view on the importance of UNRWA’s continued role as an international symbol of the Palestinian refugee issue and as a fundamental pillar for ensuring stability in Palestinian camps, in accordance with international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, and UN resolutions, including Resolutions 302 and 194, which guarantee the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
Abu Holi briefed the European official on the serious on-the-ground realities in the Palestinian territories, particularly in light of recent decisions ratified by the Israeli Security Cabinet aimed at deepening de facto annexation, including declassifying land records, facilitating settler purchases, transferring planning and construction powers in Hebron to Israeli authorities, and other measures that undermine the two-state solution and entrench internationally condemned ethnic cleansing policies.
He also addressed the deteriorating situation in occupied Jerusalem, highlighting the systematic targeting of UNRWA offices in Sheikh Jarrah and escalating violations in the Qalandiya and Shuafat camps. He emphasized that recent Israeli legislation blatantly disregards UN immunity and international charters by attempting to seize agency premises and cut off essential services, in a clear bid to undermine UNRWA’s humanitarian and political role.
Abu Holi reviewed the repercussions of the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip, noting that despite the announcement of a ceasefire agreement, the massive destruction of infrastructure and essential services has further burdened UNRWA, necessitating urgent international action to ensure the flow of aid, strengthen humanitarian response, and protect civilians in accordance with international law.
He revealed the magnitude of the humanitarian disaster caused by the forced displacement of more than 35,000 Palestinians from the camps of Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams, stressing that limited resources in the face of growing needs pose existential challenges to the population, requiring an immediate and effective international response to support the resilience of these camps and ensure the fundamental rights of refugees in line with international legitimacy resolutions.
Dr. Abu Holi also briefed the advisor on labor disputes within UNRWA and the administrative and professional challenges facing its staff, emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues through constructive dialogue between the agency’s management and the workers’ union to ensure the continuity of services and the protection of employee rights according to labor standards and relevant international conventions.
He stressed that UNRWA’s financial crisis, coupled with reduced support from some donor countries, poses a direct threat to the stability of basic services in the camps. He called for translating political support into tangible financial aid, with a focus on the health and education sectors, through sustainable funding mechanisms to guarantee continued service delivery for all refugees, including in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, in accordance with donor commitments and UN resolutions affirming the international community’s responsibility for funding the agency.
Abu Holi urged the institute to push for a binding European decision recognizing that obstructing UNRWA’s work constitutes a serious violation of the EU Partnership Agreement, warranting immediate sanctions. He also called for the launch of a “European Emergency Fund” to secure UNRWA’s budget to address its $384 million deficit, and for activating legal protection for the agency’s premises, particularly in Jerusalem, to prevent their transformation into settlement outposts under the 1946 International Conventions on Immunity.
He encouraged the institute to lead a dialogue for collective recognition of the State of Palestine and organize diplomatic tours for European foreign ministers to areas threatened by confiscation and demolition in favor of settlements.
For his part, Bjorn Kuhne affirmed EIP’s commitment to monitoring developments on the ground, supporting national efforts to strengthen Palestinian refugee resilience, and raising awareness within the European Union regarding camp conditions, especially amid obstacles imposed by the Israeli occupation that limit Palestinians’ access to European decision-makers. He stressed the importance of joint efforts to strengthen national institutions and support regional stability, in line with international law and UN resolutions.
