صحيفة نبض الشعب الاسبوعيه رئيس التحرير جعفر الخابوري

Sunday, October 13, 2024 9:46 AM - Jerusalem time

Israel drives a fatal nail into the coffin of "UNRWA"

Sami Mshasha
The recent Israeli decision to expel UNRWA from its vital headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem, and to build a settlement outpost is, without exaggeration, a clear stab to the Palestinian refugees politically and in terms of services and the first shot towards expelling the agency from Jerusalem, from the Shuafat camp, and the rest of UNRWA's headquarters in the city, including its important medical headquarters within the walls of the Old City.
The Land Department of the occupying state claims that 36 dunams on which UNRWA headquarters are located in Jerusalem, which include 7 dunams, are the area of ​​the official headquarters of the Commissioner-General and the operational headquarters of the West Bank region of UNRWA, claiming that these lands were confiscated by the occupation in 2006. It is worth noting that the lands on which UNRWA headquarters and facilities are located in Jerusalem were given to it as a tenant by the Jordanian government when UNRWA was established in 1950. The occupation state's claim that these lands belong to the "Israel Lands Authority" is a false claim since they are part of occupied territory. To add insult to injury, the "Israel Lands Authority" is demanding that UNRWA pay fines of tens of millions of shekels for violating the terms of the lease and building facilities in its headquarters without permits! This step precedes the most dangerous step, when the Knesset recess ends on the 28th of this month, when members of the government coalition and the opposition are expected to vote in the second and third readings on two decisions to declare UNRWA a terrorist organization and to cancel the headquarters agreement (the Comay-McClmore Agreement of 1967) between UNRWA and Israel, which gave UNRWA diplomatic immunities and privileges, and the right to be present and provide services. These steps will be followed by rapid steps and procedures to restrict UNRWA's work in Areas B and C, where most of the refugees, camps, and UNRWA facilities are located. This was preceded by the termination of UNRWA's presence in northern Gaza, restricting its work, and preventing aid from entering southern and central Gaza except by droplets. This is in addition to the tireless efforts to demonize UNRWA, limit its financial aid, and gradually transform it into an institution that seeks to settle refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, or any other country.

This is the beginning of the end of the right of return, and those who believe that international law, international agreements, the United Nations, its General Assembly, and its Security Council will curb and deter Israel are mistaken and live in a dream world. It is the law of the jungle. A comprehensive genocide and live broadcast did not move the world to deter them, and therefore, neither our calls against them, nor the slapping of the palm, nor the hollow condemnation, nor the false concern, nor the annoyance of the Secretary-General, nor the anger of the Arab League and the statements of condemnation are of any use, and perhaps they will be humiliating to the refugees, and therefore, their silence and silence will be much better.
The question before us, the people of Palestine, remains: Is the right of return really sacred?!

Nabd Al-Shaab Weekly Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Jaafar Al-Khabouri