Saudi Arabia Reaffirms Top Donor Status for UNRWA
Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its position as one of the largest donors to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), revealing that it has provided $835 million in development and humanitarian assistance through the agency over the years. The announcement came during a pledging conference for voluntary contributions to UNRWA held at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
UN Secretary-General Urges Immediate Financial Support
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the gathering, urging countries to provide immediate financial support amid warnings that severe funding shortfalls were threatening humanitarian operations and regional stability. He emphasized that UNRWA continues to play an essential role in improving humanitarian conditions and providing food, health, and education services across the region, particularly in Gaza.
Saudi Envoy Highlights Commitment to Palestinian Refugees
Waleed Mamdouh M. Mosly, first secretary and head of the Fourth Committee and Organizations at the Saudi mission to the UN, said the Kingdom’s support for UNRWA reflected its commitment to the Palestinian question and efforts to preserve the dignity of Palestinian refugees. He noted that the Saudi Development Fund has separately contributed $13.9 million for the agency’s education, health care, and relief programs.
New Projects Planned for Gaza, Syria, and Jordan
Mosly added that Riyadh is preparing new UNRWA-implemented projects, with plans drawn up in February at an estimated cost of $20 million. These projects will cover key sectors in Gaza, Syria, and Jordan to help the agency meet the growing needs of Palestinian refugees.
Political Attacks on UNRWA Condemned
Mosly warned that UNRWA has been the target of political attacks, despite serving as a lifeline for Palestinian refugees. He stressed that such campaigns target not only the agency itself but also, in violation of international law, the very core of the Palestinian question and the right of refugees to return. He urged the international community to take urgent action to close a funding gap that threatens UNRWA's ability to fulfill its mandate.
Call for End to Israeli Occupation
Mosly also called for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and endorsed a statement delivered on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) by Bahrain’s ambassador, Nancy Abdulla Jamal. Speaking on behalf of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, Jamal cited harsh conditions in Gaza, including overcrowding and poor health conditions, as well as settler violence in the West Bank and the volatile humanitarian situation in Lebanon. She called for the immediate removal of obstacles to humanitarian and medical aid.
Support for UNRWA Mandate and ICJ Opinion
Jamal welcomed a General Assembly resolution in December that renewed UNRWA’s mandate, as well as the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion in October detailing Israel’s legal obligations as the occupying power in Palestinian territories. She underscored the link between UNRWA’s mandate and the right of Palestinians to self-determination, including the inviolability of agency premises in the occupied territories.
GCC Endorses Comprehensive Peace Plan
The GCC also expressed support for the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, presented by President Trump and endorsed in November by the Security Council through Resolution 2803. The GCC said progress in Gaza and reform of the Palestinian Authority could enable Palestinians to achieve self-determination and statehood. Jamal reiterated the GCC’s support for a two-state solution that would establish an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and international resolutions.
