Amman: The Foreign Ministers from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, and the Arab Republic of Egypt have united to affirm the crucial role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in safeguarding the rights and well-being of Palestinian refugees.
According to Jordan News Agency, these nations have highlighted UNRWA's longstanding mandate, which has been vital in providing protection, education, healthcare, social services, and emergency assistance to millions of Palestinian refugees. This mandate, entrusted to UNRWA by the international community and renewed by the UN General Assembly for another three years, underscores the global confidence in the agency's crucial operations.
The ministers strongly condemn the recent storming of the UNRWA headquarters located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem by Israeli forces. They view this attack as a blatant violation of international law and the sanctity of UN premises, marking an unacceptable escalation. This act also contravenes the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which asserts that Israel, as an occupying power, must not obstruct UNRWA's operations but rather facilitate them.
In the context of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, the ministers emphasize UNRWA's indispensable role in providing humanitarian aid through its distribution centers. These centers are critical for ensuring the fair and efficient delivery of food, relief items, and basic necessities to those in need, in line with Security Council Resolution 2803. UNRWA's schools and health facilities continue to serve as a lifeline for refugee communities in Gaza, offering essential education and primary healthcare services under challenging conditions, thereby supporting the implementation of President Trump's Plan and enabling Palestinians to remain and rebuild their homeland.
The ministers assert that there is no substitute for UNRWA's role. No other organization matches its infrastructure, expertise, and field presence necessary to address the needs of Palestinian refugees and maintain service continuity at the required scale. A weakening of the Agency's capacity would have severe humanitarian, social, and political consequences across the region. Consequently, the ministers urge the international community to ensure sustainable and adequate funding for UNRWA and to grant it the political and operational latitude necessary to continue its vital work across all five fields of operations. Supporting UNRWA is deemed essential for maintaining stability, preserving human dignity, and upholding the rights of Palestinian refugees until a just and lasting resolution to their plight is achieved, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions, including UN General Assembly resolution 194.