The Secretary -General asks Israel to refrain from the decision to stop UNRWA work in Jerusalem

In a letter addressed to Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations in response to a letter sent by Danon to the Secretary -General of the Israeli decision, Guterres said he regretted this decision and asked the Israeli government to withdraw it due to the legal framework related to the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWAAnd its nature that cannot be replaced.

The Secretary -General indicated that he detailed this matter in two letters of the Israeli Prime Minister on October 4 and the twenty -eighth of October 2024 and a speech by the President of the General Assembly on the twenty -eighth of the same month, and two identical speeches of the Presidents of the Security Council and the General Assembly on the ninth of December 2024 and the eighth of January 2025.

In this context, Guterres emphasized that any works that prevent UNRWA from continuing its activities will sharply undermine the appropriate humanitarian response in the occupied Palestinian land. The Secretary -General pointed out that the General Assembly confirmed in its decision issued in its exceptional emergency session on December 11, 2024, that there is no organization that can replace or replace UNRWA’s ability and delegate it to provide the required services and assistance.

He said that this confirmation is still after a ceasefire and the release of the hostages in Gaza, which was welcomed and praised by the Secretary -General. Guterres added that the United Nations, including UNRWA, supports the implementation of the agreement by increasing the delivery of humanitarian aid to countless Palestinians whose suffering will continue.

He said: “It is imperative that the ceasefire will provide all opportunities to connect aid throughout Gaza to be able to support the significant increase in life -saving human support and reconstruction in the end.”

The Secretary -General added that the implementation of the legislation adopted by the Knesset on the twenty -eighth of last October will be frustrated by achieving these goals.