Support for the mandate of UNRWA: General Assembly’s 10th Emergency Special Session – Draft resolution (A/ES-10/L.32) (Adopted)

05 December 2024

Tenth emergency special session

Agenda item 5

Illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Algeria, Egypt, Guinea, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Qatar and State of Palestine:* draft resolution

Support for the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

The General Assembly,

         Recalling its resolutions 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, 212 (III) of 19 November 1948, 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 and all subsequent related resolutions, including its resolution 78/73 of 7 December 2023,

         Recalling also the relevant resolutions of the Security Council,

         Recalling further Security Council resolution 2730 (2024) of 24 May 2024 on the protection of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel and all other relevant resolutions,

         Having considered the report of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East covering the period from 1 January to 31 December 2023,[1]

         Taking note of the letter dated 25 June 2024 from the Chair of the Advisory Commission of the Agency addressed to the Commissioner-General,[2]

         Having considered the letter dated 28 October 2024 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the General Assembly[3] bringing to the attention of the General Assembly, on an urgent basis, developments which could prevent the Agency from continuing its essential work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as mandated by the Assembly, and seeking its guidance and support,

         Having considered also the letter dated 28 October 2024 from the Commissioner-General addressed to the President of the General Assembly warning, inter alia, that “the Agency is under such physical, political and operational attack – unprecedented in United Nations history – that implementation of its mandate may become impossible without decisive intervention by the General Assembly”,

         Emphasizing the vital role of the Agency in providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to Palestine refugees through essential education, health, relief and social services programmes and emergency assistance in all the fields of operation in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, namely in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,

         Expressing grave concern at the especially dire situation of the Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, including with regard to their safety, well-being and socioeconomic living conditions,

         Expressing grave concern also at the catastrophic humanitarian situation of the Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip as a result of military attacks, severe restrictions on humanitarian access, mass forced displacement, spread of hunger, disease and poverty, mass destruction of civilian infrastructure, including homes, refugee camps, hospitals and Agency schools and facilities serving as shelters for displaced persons, and loss of learning and livelihoods,

         Condemning the killing, injury and detention contrary to international law of Agency staff, the attacks affecting its facilities in the Gaza Strip and its compound in occupied East Jerusalem, and incitement against the Agency, and demanding the cessation of all such actions,

         Deploring the endangerment of the safety of the Agency’s staff and the unprecedented high number of casualties inflicted on Agency personnel in the Gaza Strip by military attacks, any breaches of the inviolability of United Nations premises, and the damage and destruction caused to the facilities and properties of the Agency, including schools sheltering displaced civilians, stressing the need to maintain the neutrality and safeguard the inviolability of United Nations premises, installations and equipment and the immunity of its personnel, and stressing the imperative of ensuring accountability,

         Deeply concerned about the continuing imposition of restrictions on the freedom of movement and access of Agency personnel, vehicles and goods, the injury, harassment and intimidation of the Agency staff, and denial of entry visas to Agency staff, which undermine and obstruct the work of the Agency, including its ability to provide life-saving assistance and essential basic and emergency services in accordance with its mandate,

         Deeply concerned also about attempts to discredit the Agency, as well as attempts to undermine and terminate its operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, despite its proven operational capacity, record of effective provision of humanitarian and development assistance and consistent implementation of its mandate in accordance with relevant resolutions and its regulatory framework, even under the most difficult circumstances, and stressing the need to safeguard its vital humanitarian and development work,

         Recalling the Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality, led by Catherine Colonna, and its findings, welcoming the commitment affirmed by the Secretary-General and the Agency to fully implement its recommendations, and stressing the need to provide the Agency with the required resources for implementation,

         Taking note of the measures taken by the Agency concerning the termination of the employment of nine Agency staff members following the attacks of 7 October 2023, and underscoring the importance of taking timely and appropriate measures to address any credible allegations, and to ensure accountability for any violations of the Agency’s policies related to the principles of neutrality, humanity, impartiality and independence,

         Reaffirming the need for accountability in accordance with international law and for ensuring justice for the victims,

         Reaffirming also the applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949,[4] to the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and underscoring the obligations of Israel thereunder as the occupying Power,

         Recalling Articles 100, 104 and 105 of the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations,[5]

         Recalling also the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel,[6] Security Council resolution 2730 (2024) and all relevant resolutions concerning the safety and security of United Nations and humanitarian personnel, including General Assembly resolution 78/118 of 8 December 2023, as well as Security Council resolutions on the protection of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including resolution 2175 (2014) of 29 August 2014 and resolution 2730 (2024),

1. Affirms its full support for the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East in all of its fields of operation, namely Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arabic Republic and the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
2. Deplores the legislation adopted by the Israeli Knesset on 28 October 2024, and calls upon the Israeli Government to abide by its international obligations, respect the privileges and immunities of the Agency and uphold its responsibility to allow and facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance in all its forms into and throughout the entire Gaza Strip, including the provision of sorely needed basic services to the civilian population;
3. Reaffirms the necessity for the continuation of the work of the Agency and the importance of its unimpeded operation and provision of services, including emergency assistance, for the well-being, protection and human development of the Palestine refugees and for the stability of the region, pending the just resolution of the question of the Palestine refugees in line with the relevant resolutions;
4. Stresses that, at a time of heightened conflict and instability in the Middle East, the Agency continues to play an indispensable role in ameliorating the plight of the more than 6 million Palestine refugees registered with the Agency and in providing a crucial measure of stability in the region, including by mitigating the consequences of alarming trends and severe crises in the Agency’s areas of operation, including increasing violence, marginalization and poverty;
5. Expresses its appreciation for the tireless efforts of the Commissioner-General and the staff of the Agency in all fields of operation in fulfilment of the mandate of the Agency and respect for the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, particularly in the light of the dire humanitarian conditions, instability and unprecedented crises faced during the past year;
6. Commends the Agency for its extraordinary efforts, in cooperation with other United Nations agencies on the ground, to provide emergency humanitarian assistance, including shelter, food and medical aid, to refugees and affected civilians during periods of crisis and conflict, and recognizes its exemplary capacity to mobilize in emergency situations while continuously carrying out its core human development programmes, particularly its education programme;
7. Emphasizes in particular that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East remains the backbone of all humanitarian response in Gaza, and affirms that no organization can replace or substitute the Agency’s capacity and mandate to serve Palestine refugees and civilians in urgent need of life-saving humanitarian assistance;
8. Underscores in this regard the critical role also to be played by the Agency in implementing urgently needed recovery and stabilization efforts in a post-ceasefire period in the Gaza Strip, considering its personnel capacity, operational agility, network of facilities, decades of proven humanitarian and human development expertise and cost-effective operations in comparison to other organizations;
9. Strongly warns against any attempts to dismantle or diminish the operations and mandate of the Agency, recognizing that any interruption or suspension of its work would have severe humanitarian consequences for millions of Palestine refugees who depend on the Agency’s services and also implications for the region;
10. Deplores breaches of the inviolability of United Nations premises, the failure to accord the property and assets of the Organization immunity, the failure to protect United Nations personnel, premises and property and any disruption caused to Agency operations by such violations;
11. Demands that all parties act, in accordance with international law and the relevant resolutions, to enable the Agency to carry out its mandate, as adopted by the General Assembly, in all fields of operation, with full respect for the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, and respect international humanitarian law obligations, including the protection of United Nations and humanitarian facilities;
12. Also demands that Israel respect the mandate of the Agency and its privileges and immunities and act forthwith to enable its operations to proceed without impediment or restriction in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, including, inter alia, to allow and facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance in all its forms into and throughout the entire Gaza Strip in accordance with the mandate of the Agency and to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe;
13. Reiterates its demand that Israel comply without delay with all its legal obligations under international law, including, inter alia, to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, in full cooperation with the United Nations, the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance, including food, water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation requirements, as well as medical supplies and medical care, to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip;
14. Calls upon Israel to abide by Articles 100, 104 and 105 of the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations in all aspects and to ensure the safety of the personnel of the Agency, the protection of its installations and the safeguarding of the security of its facilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, at all times, to comply with international humanitarian law, and to cease obstructing the movement and access of the staff, vehicles and supplies of the Agency and levying taxes, extra fees and charges on the Agency;
15. Underscores the imperative of reparations, in accordance with international law, for all losses, damage and destruction sustained by the Agency in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and calls upon the Secretary-General to undertake the necessary assessments to this end;
16. Calls upon all parties to ensure respect for and the protection of all humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, to respect the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence for the provision of humanitarian assistance and to respect and protect the inviolability of United Nations premises;
17. Calls upon the Agency to fully implement its high-level action plan for the implementation of the 50 recommendations of the Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality (Colonna Report), and welcomes the commitment affirmed by the Secretary-General and the Agency to fully implement the recommendations, and urges Member States to provide the necessary political and financial support to enable timely, effective and accelerated implementation;
18. Stresses the need to support the capacity of the Agency to uphold its mandate and to avert the serious humanitarian, political and security risks that would result from any interruption or suspension of its vital work;
19. Endorses the efforts of the Commissioner-General to continue to provide humanitarian assistance, as far as is practicable, on an emergency basis and as a temporary measure, to persons in the area who are internally displaced and in serious need of continuing assistance as a result of recent crises in the Agency’s fields of operation;
20. Welcomes the efforts of donors, organizations and host countries to respond to the Agency’s unprecedented financial crisis, including through generous, additional contributions, including to the Agency’s emergency appeals;
21. Also welcomes the Statement of Shared Commitments on UNRWA, initiated by Jordan, Kuwait and Slovenia on 22 May 2024, which expressed support for the Agency to effectively uphold the mandate conferred on the Agency by the General Assembly in all fields of operation in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic;
22. Expresses its appreciation for the important support and cooperation provided by the host Governments to the Agency in the discharge of its duties;
23. Also expresses its appreciation to the Advisory Commission of the Agency, and requests it to continue its efforts and to keep the General Assembly informed of its activities;
24. Takes note of the report of the Working Group on the Financing of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East[7] and the efforts to assist in ensuring the financial security of the Agency, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide the necessary services and assistance to the Working Group for the conduct of its work;
25. Urges immediate efforts to address the financial and operational crises affecting the Agency due, inter alia, to rising needs and expenditures resulting from the deterioration of the socioeconomic conditions, unprecedented humanitarian crises and the conflicts and rising instability in the region and their significant negative impact on the ability of the Agency to deliver essential services to the Palestine refugees, especially in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Lebanon;
26. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the operations of the Agency[8] and the conclusions and recommendations contained therein, including the proposal for an increased assessed contribution from the regular budget of the United Nations;
27. Recalls paragraph 61 of its resolution 78/252 of 22 December 2023, in which it decided to reallocate the remaining 50 per cent of resources related to executive and administrative management functions envisaged to be proposed by the Secretary-General in the 2025 budget to the 2024 budget of the Agency;
28. Recognizes the Agency’s extremely dire financial situation and the necessity to strengthen its capacity to respond to the increased and emerging needs related to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, as well as to further strengthen and sustain the Agency’s compliance with the recommendations of the Independent Review (Colonna Report) through increased contributions, including from the assessed regular budget of the United Nations;
29. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a proposal for funding requirements in the context of the proposed programme budget for 2026, in support of international staff requirements, in accordance with resolution 3331 B (XXIX) of 17 December 1974;
30. Appeals to States and organizations for voluntary contributions to the Agency, including multi-year funding agreements and an increase in such contributions where possible, in particular for the programme budget of the Agency, as well as for its emergency, recovery and reconstruction programmes as set out in its appeals and response plans, to support the mandate of the Agency, to alleviate its recurrent underfunding, to mitigate imminent risks to its core and emergency programming and to prevent the interruption of essential assistance to the Palestine refugees and the dire repercussions of any such interruption;
31. Recognizes the important and indispensable role of the Agency in its 75 years of existence and work in assisting the Palestine refugees throughout its five fields of operations and contributing to regional stability; underscores that it is irreplaceable, and stresses the importance of cooperation of all States and other United Nations bodies with the Agency to enable the effective implementation of its mandate in all fields of operation until the realization of a just solution to the question of Palestine, including for the Palestine refugees, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions.

     * Any changes to the list of sponsors will be reflected in the official record of the meeting.

      [1] Official Records of the General Assembly, Seveny-ninth Session, Supplement No. 13 (A/79/13).

      [2] Ibid., p. 7.

      [3] A/79/558.

      [4] United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973.

      [5] Resolution 22 A (I).

      [6] United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2051, No. 35457.

      [7] A/79/329.

      [8] A/71/849.