Head of the Palestinian Mission in Ghana: UNRWA’s Mandate Cannot Be Terminated or Replaced; the Agency Established by the United Nations and Remains a Legal and Moral Obligation of the International Community Toward Palestinian Refugees
The Head of the State of Palestine Mission in Ghana, MR. Ahmed Abu Dalfa, reaffirmed the Palestinian leadership’s and people’s categorical rejection of statements claiming that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has no role in the Gaza Strip, describing such statements as a politically motivated attempt to liquidate the Palestinian refugee issue, undermine the United Nations mandate entrusted to the Agency, and promote the Israeli narrative aimed at eroding the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people.
In remarks to Insight newspaper, MR. Abu Dalfa stated that UNRWA is a subsidiary organ of the United Nations established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302, and that its mandate remains fully valid and shall continue until a just, comprehensive, and lasting political settlement of the cause of Palestine is achieved, guaranteeing the rights of Palestinian refugees, foremost among them the right of return and compensation in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194.
He stressed that UNRWA remains an indispensable lifeline for millions of Palestinian refugees and that neither its mandate nor its functions can be replaced or diminished until the political root causes of the Palestinian refugee cause are resolved.
MR. Abu Dalfa emphasized that no State, institution, council, or political body possesses the legal authority to terminate the existence of a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly. He explained that the authority to renew, amend, or terminate UNRWA’s mandate rests exclusively with the United Nations General Assembly acting on behalf of the Member States, and that no political initiative, international arrangement, or unilateral proposal confers upon any party the authority to abolish or replace the Agency.
He further noted that UNRWA embodies the international community’s legal and moral responsibility toward Palestinian refugees and serves as tangible evidence of that continuing responsibility pending a just resolution of the refugee issue. He stressed that any attempt to weaken, marginalize, or dismantle the Agency constitutes a direct assault on the Palestinian refugee causes, an attempt to erase the legal and political status of Palestinian refugees, and a deliberate effort to undermine their inalienable right of return.
MR. Abu Dalfa called upon the United Nations and all Member States to provide the necessary political and financial support to UNRWA to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of its humanitarian, relief, educational, healthcare, and social services. He emphasized that the Palestinian refugee issue and the mandate of UNRWA are not merely humanitarian matters but constitute a fundamental political and legal component of the final status issues to be resolved in accordance with international law. He reaffirmed that any attempt to abolish the Agency or circumvent its United Nations mandate represents a direct attack on the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people. He further stressed that the Palestinian people will continue working with the international community to preserve UNRWA as a symbol of the international community’s enduring legal responsibility toward Palestinian refugees until the relevant United Nations resolutions are fully implemented.
MR. Abu Dalfa also rejected all terminologies intended to fragment Palestinian geography, identity, and demographic unity, including the term “New Gaza,” affirming that the Palestinian people constitute one indivisible people in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, including Occupied East Jerusalem, and throughout the diaspora. He further stressed that the Gaza Strip forms an integral and inseparable part of the territory of the State of Palestine.
MR. Abu Dalfa concluded by reaffirming that the only viable path to achieving peace, security, and stability in the Middle East lies in the full realization of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative. He further stressed the imperative of holding Israel accountable for the crimes and grave violations it has committed against the Palestinian people, ensuring that those responsible do not enjoy impunity. He warned that failure to address these fundamental issues will only perpetuate instability and recurring cycles of violence throughout the region.
MR. Abu Dalfa further emphasized that, notwithstanding the ongoing atrocities committed by Israel against the Palestinian people, the systematic restrictions and repressive measures imposed upon unarmed civilians, the unlawful withholding of Palestinian clearance revenues in an effort to undermine the Palestinian Government’s ability to discharge its public responsibilities, the continued expansion of illegal settlements and systematic confiscation of Palestinian land, the targeting of the Christian presence and the imposition of discriminatory taxes on churches aimed at altering the historic, legal, and multi-religious character of Occupied Jerusalem, together with the continued obstruction of humanitarian relief operations and post-war reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian people remain steadfast on their homeland, firmly rejecting displacement, forced transfer, or the relinquishment of their legitimate and inalienable rights. He affirmed that the Palestinian people will continue their legitimate struggle until they realize their aspirations for freedom, self-determination, independence, and sovereign statehood.
MR. Abu Dalfa also announced that the State of Palestine is preparing to hold general elections next November as part of its commitment to strengthening democratic governance, renewing the legitimacy of its democratic institutions, and giving practical effect to the principle of the peaceful transfer of power through free and democratic elections. He called upon the international community to support this democratic process and to ensure that it proceeds in accordance with international democratic standards. He further urged States and international organizations to hold Israel, the Occupying Power, fully accountable for any measures aimed at obstructing, delaying, or preventing the conduct of the Palestinian elections, particularly in Occupied East Jerusalem, where the participation of Palestinian residents constitutes an integral and inseparable component of the Palestinian electoral process and is guaranteed under international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the agreements governing the Palestinian electoral process.
