The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has strongly criticized the recent calls for the closure of the agency, describing them as 'short-sighted' and potentially detrimental to millions of Palestinian refugees.
UNRWA has been providing critical services and support to Palestinian refugees for over seven decades. Established in 1949, the agency plays a central role in providing education, healthcare, and social services to Palestinian communities across the region. Currently, it serves more than 5.7 million registered refugees, with a significant portion residing in the occupied Palestinian territories, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
