Date: 16/2/2026
During a political briefing for members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the State of Palestine, held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
The occupation has committed more than 1,620 violations of the ceasefire agreement and pursued policies undermining recovery plans and Gaza reconstruction efforts.
The international community was urged to intervene immediately to stop a “silent Nakba” unfolding in the heart of the West Bank.
Abu Holi called for the occupation state to be classified as an "apartheid regime" and for international accountability mechanisms to be activated to hold it responsible for war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
He warned of the dangers of UNRWA’s financial crisis and urged donors to secure adequate and sustainable funding.
Dr. Ahmed Abu Holi, Head of the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s Department of Refugee Affairs, today Monday delivered a comprehensive briefing to ambassadors, consuls, and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to the State of Palestine, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. The briefing addressed the severe financial crisis facing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the field developments in Palestinian refugee camps in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank, amidst unprecedented Israeli escalation targeting Palestinian national rights and the refugee issue.
Omar Awadallah, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, welcomed the ambassadors, consuls, and heads of diplomatic missions, appreciating their attendance and interest in the Palestinian refugee humanitarian file. Awadallah emphasized that the Palestinian government prioritizes protecting refugee rights, noting that the continued Israeli attacks on camps and attempts to undermine UNRWA’s work represent a direct threat to regional peace and stability. He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to mobilize the international community to fulfill its legal obligations toward refugees and exert pressure on the occupation to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and protection for UNRWA staff and facilities, stressing that safeguarding UNRWA and Palestinian camps is not optional but a humanitarian, political, and moral duty for the world.
During the briefing, Dr. Abu Holi outlined the challenges facing UNRWA due to Israeli policies aimed at undermining its work and halting its services, particularly in health and education for Palestinian refugees. He noted that the financial deficit in the 2026 budget reached approximately $384 million of a total $959 million, or about 40%, due to some donor countries cutting contributions by nearly 50%. This shortfall forced the agency to implement austerity measures, including a 20% reduction in local staff salaries, shortened school and clinic hours, and termination of hundreds of contracts, including 570 employees in Gaza, threatening the stability of thousands of families and posing serious implications for the camps and the region as a whole.
Abu Holi also reviewed escalating Israeli attacks on UNRWA facilities in Jerusalem, particularly in Sheikh Jarrah, including the closure of headquarters, destruction of offices, lowering the UN flag and replacing it with the Israeli flag, as well as shutting down schools and clinics and restricting access to water, electricity, and communications services. These actions implement the 2024 Knesset amendments that prohibit agency activities in Jerusalem, threatening to paralyze its humanitarian work and undermine its legal protections and privileges.
He highlighted the ongoing Israeli military aggression against northern West Bank camps, especially in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams, which has caused the forced displacement of more than 45,000 refugees, destruction of thousands of housing units, restrictions on the return of displaced persons, and attempts to ban UNRWA services within camps—clearly aimed at emptying them of residents and undermining their historical and political significance linked to the right of return.
Abu Holi also reviewed recent Israeli measures, including the activation of the E1 plan, legalization of new settlement outposts, and transferring planning, construction, and demolition authority to Israeli authorities, noting that these actions constitute blatant violations of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2334, systematically undermining the possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian state.
He stressed that the systematic demolition operations in the West Bank, including Bedouin and rural communities, aim to completely empty Area C of its original inhabitants to connect settlement blocs, thereby undermining the two-state solution. He noted that the systematic uprooting of Bedouin and pastoral communities constitutes a fully realized crime of forced displacement, requiring immediate international intervention to halt a “silent Nakba” unfolding in the heart of the West Bank.
Regarding Gaza, Abu Holi confirmed that the occupation has committed more than 1,620 violations of the ceasefire, resulting in 586 civilian deaths and 1,558 injuries, in addition to continued restrictions on humanitarian aid—over 56% of aid trucks were blocked—and turning areas into military zones, undermining reconstruction efforts, in a bid to keep Gaza in permanent collapse and force residents toward displacement.
In the same briefing, Minister Alaa Al-Tamimi, Head of the Land Authority, reviewed recent Israeli decisions aimed at deepening settlements and enforcing annexation in the West Bank, targeting the erosion of Palestinian presence, dividing land, and isolating communities, in addition to measures affecting the Ibrahimi Mosque, seriously impacting its historical and legal status. Tamimi emphasized that these policies are part of a comprehensive colonial project aimed at imposing realities on the ground that undermine peace and the two-state solution. He called on the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities to redress historical injustice against the Palestinian people, to formulate a unified Arab stance against these measures, convene an urgent Security Council meeting to halt accelerating Israeli violations, and urged states that have not yet recognized Palestine to do so quickly, pressing the United States to uphold its obligations under international law and relevant UN resolutions.
Brazilian Ambassador Marcelo Soares, as Chair of UNRWA’s Advisory Council, presented the financial and political challenges facing the agency under current conditions, referring to relevant UN decisions and the International Court of Justice advisory opinion, confirming that ongoing Israeli policies and violations systematically undermine international institutions and services, foremost among them UNRWA.
Ronald Frederick also reviewed UNRWA’s work in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and the support provided to West Bank and Gaza camps, particularly in health, education, relief, and housing, despite repeated Israeli targeting of camps and agency facilities, including the vocational training center in Qalandiya. He called on donor countries to increase political and financial support to ensure continuity of vital services for Palestinian refugees.
Deputy Governor of Jerusalem, Abdullah Siam, discussed ongoing violations in Jerusalem, highlighting the impact of recent Israeli decisions that deepen isolation and demographic changes, especially the accelerated settlement construction in the E1 area, which separates Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings in the West Bank and restricts access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, particularly during Ramadan. He called on states to highlight these escalating violations and take practical steps to stop them.
Similarly, Ahmed Alian, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs, presented documented statistics on Israeli violations against the city and its residents, including arrests, house demolitions, revocation of building permits, and strict restrictions. He noted the Arab and Islamic agreement to hold an international national conference on Jerusalem in April to mobilize political and legal support to protect the city and its holy sites.
In conclusion, Dr. Ahmed Abu Holi called on the international community to move from condemnation to practical and tangible action, emphasizing that protecting UNRWA is a legal and moral duty, requiring recognition that Israeli laws targeting the agency are null and void, providing international protection for its staff and premises, imposing political and economic sanctions on the occupation government, and ensuring stable, multi-year funding for UNRWA while keeping humanitarian work free from political pressure or blackmail. He warned that continued international silence would lead to the collapse of the international legal system and push the region toward a comprehensive humanitarian and political disaster, amid the rapidly deteriorating conditions of millions of Palestinian refugees in camps. He reiterated the call to officially classify the occupation state as an "apartheid regime" and activate international accountability mechanisms for its war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
