Statement by Ambassador Fu Cong at the Security Council’s deliberations on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

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28 January 2025

President:

I thank Algeria for its initiative in convening today’s meeting and I thank Commissioner-General Lazzarini and Mr. Jan Egeland for their briefings.

China reiterates its firm support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and expresses serious concern over the difficulties the Agency has recently faced due to human factors. We call on Israel to stop restricting and suppressing the Agency and stop enforcing relevant laws. We call on the international community to continue to support the Agency in fulfilling its duties and support the United Nations and the Security Council in taking necessary urgent actions to ensure that the Agency can fulfill its duties. I would like to make the following points:

First, supporting the UNRWA is related to maintaining the international rule of law and the authority of the multilateral system. The UNRWA is an institution established under the authority of the General Assembly resolution and enjoys privileges and immunities. Its dignity, safety and facilities should be guaranteed. Israel’s suppression of the UNRWA is inconsistent with its obligations under the UN Charter and international law, and will set a bad precedent and have widespread negative consequences.

Second, supporting the UNRWA is related to the survival of millions of Gazans. The current ceasefire in Gaza provides an opportunity to alleviate the humanitarian disaster. The ceasefire agreement implemented on January 19 also includes a commitment to expand humanitarian aid. The UNRWA undertakes more than half of the aid work in Gaza, and its role is indispensable and irreplaceable. Suppressing the UNRWA is inconsistent with the commitment to expand humanitarian aid. The UNRWA is the only institution that can provide education to Gaza and cannot be absent from the post-war reconstruction arrangements in Gaza.

Third, supporting the UNRWA is related to social stability in the West Bank. The UNRWA is an important provider of public services in the West Bank and an important part of the West Bank’s economy and society. Once the UNRWA is shut down, it will lead to the closure of public services such as education and medical care in the West Bank, and will also cause a large number of Palestinians to lose their livelihoods and income sources, which will have a serious impact on social stability in the West Bank.

Fourth, supporting the UNRWA is related to the political solution of the Palestinian issue. The UNRWA has never been a permanent institution, but it remains indispensable before Palestine achieves national self-determination and before the “two-state solution” is truly implemented. If conditions are to be created for the UNRWA to fulfill its mission, the first thing that is needed is for the international community to increase its efforts to revive the “two-state solution” and jointly resist unilateral actions that undermine the “two-state solution”, including dangerous attempts to change the population and territory of Gaza and annex the West Bank.

President,

We emphasize that the debate on the neutrality of the UNRWA has long ended. The independent review panel appointed by the Secretary-General has issued a report that clearly points out that the UNRWA has a large number of sound mechanisms to ensure its neutrality. The misconduct of individual personnel cannot be elevated to the overall behavior of the UNRWA, and the treatment of individual personnel should not affect the overall humanitarian attributes of the UNRWA. We hope that countries that have made accusations against the UNRWA can share evidence with the agency.

Finally, I would like to reiterate that the United Nations and the Security Council have the responsibility to take necessary urgent actions to ensure that the Agency performs its duties and prevent new collective punishment on the people of Gaza. China is willing to continue to work with all parties to make unremitting efforts to alleviate the humanitarian disaster, restore peace between Palestine and Israel, and achieve long-term peace and stability in the region.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

 

 

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