Date: 16/06/2026
The Palestinian delegation will call on donors to provide urgent additional support for the Agency’s regular budget.
The delegation will present a vision for resolving the demands-related dispute with staff unions.
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The Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will begin its meetings tomorrow, Wednesday, in the Jordanian capital, Amman, at the Century Park Hotel. The meetings will be chaired by Brazil and attended by delegations from around 30 donor countries, Arab host countries, the European group, and the League of Arab States.
Dr. Ahmad Abu Holi, Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Head of the Department of Refugee Affairs, affirmed that these meetings are being held at a critical time, as UNRWA faces intertwined political, financial, operational, and administrative challenges. He noted that over the course of two days, the Advisory Commission will examine the dimensions of these overlapping crises and their direct impact on the vital and essential services—education, health, and relief assistance—provided to millions of Palestine refugees, amid the evolving political and security situation in the region.
He explained that the first day of the meetings will feature strategic briefings by field directors on the operational environment in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon, followed by a presentation on the Agency’s financial crisis and its repercussions on operations across its five fields of operation. The second day will be dedicated to discussions on the sustainability of core programmes, a review of the neutrality file, and progress achieved in implementing the recommendations of the External Review Group. The Advisory Commission is also expected to formally endorse the closure of 40 recommendations that have been fully implemented by UNRWA out of a total of 50 recommendations, and to adopt the recommendations and the Chair’s Letter resulting from the meetings.
Dr. Abu Holi stressed that the Advisory Commission meetings are taking place while UNRWA is facing an actual budget deficit estimated at USD 100 million. He indicated that the Palestinian delegation will urge donor countries to bridge this deficit through the provision of urgent additional funding.
Abu Holi stated that the delegation will raise the issue of the austerity measures adopted by UNRWA to address its financial crisis, which have affected staff salaries, working hours, services provided to Palestine refugees, and the arbitrary dismissal of dozens of employees based on Israeli allegations that have neither been substantiated nor investigated by independent United Nations bodies. He pointed out that the delegation will present the devastating impact of these measures on workers’ rights, the services provided to refugees, and the psychological and living conditions of affected families. During the meetings, the delegation will also present a comprehensive strategic vision aimed at resolving the demands-related dispute with UNRWA staff unions, while ensuring a balance between meeting the legitimate rights of employees and maintaining vital services for refugees.
Abu Holi warned of the potential negative consequences of the continued financial crisis and its accumulation, emphasizing that preserving the Agency’s operational capacity is a key factor in maintaining regional stability and safeguarding UNRWA’s mandate.
He further affirmed that the Palestinian delegation’s diplomatic efforts will focus on leveraging recent legal and political gains to secure a sustainable international safety net for the Agency. He explained that reliance on international commitments and United Nations judicial decisions constitutes a key incentive for translating political and moral support into tangible financial commitments. He called on donor countries to immediately lift all restrictions and conditions imposed on their funding and to sign multi-year funding agreements, particularly after the International Court of Justice affirmed UNRWA’s integrity and commitment to the principle of neutrality and refuted the Israeli allegations against its staff. Such steps, he noted, would ensure the uninterrupted flow of financial resources, enabling the Agency to continue fulfilling its humanitarian and relief mission.
Abu Holi emphasized that UNRWA remains a vital pillar of the regional stability framework and an irreplaceable institution for which there is no alternative. He stressed the necessity of maintaining its role and United Nations mandate as long as a just and comprehensive political solution to the Palestine refugee issue remains absent.
