Lazzarini: Israel’s Allegations Have Made UN Teams Legitimate Targets
The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, confirmed on Thursday that Israel’s allegations of the involvement of the agency’s employees in the October 7, 2023 attack have made UN teams “legitimate targets.”
Lazzarini said in statements to the American newspaper “The New York Times” that the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip since the seventh of last October, “resulted in a blatant disregard for the mission of the United Nations, including attacks on its staff, which led to the death and injury of hundreds of them.”
“Israeli officials are not only threatening the work of our staff and our mission, but also delegitimizing UNRWA.”
“The scale and scope of the recent attacks against UNRWA staff deserve the urgent formation of an independent commission of inquiry,” Lazzarini said, warning that Israeli allegations have made UN humanitarian teams legitimate targets in the eyes of some.
On Wednesday, the Israeli Knesset approved in preliminary reading a bill that would abolish UNRWA’s immunity and privileges for the year 2024.
Three additional readings are still required to vote in favor of the draft law to take effect, in what Palestinian, UN and international bodies say is a Zionist campaign to dismantle UNRWA and liquidate the refugee issue.
