Renewal of UNRWA's Mandate - Absurd

 Communicated by the MFA Spokesperson)

  

Israel views with great concern the recently published findings of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) investigation into UNRWA and calls for the full and transparent release of all findings of the investigation. These findings strengthen Israel's claims that deep and comprehensive change in the operational model of the agency is required.

Under the leadership of UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl over the past several years, the politicization of UNRWA has expanded, the budget deficit has inflated, and the operational model has become unsustainable. The stepping aside of Krähenbühl is but the first step in a long process that is needed to eliminate corruption, increase transparency, and prevent politicization of the agency.

  

Israel calls on the international community and all contributing countries to take part in an evaluation process to create a new and more effective operational model.

The recent developments prove that the automatic renewal of UNRWA's mandate for three more years is absolutely absurd, immoral, and unreasonable.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz stated: "UNRWA's conduct illustrates that the agency is part of the problem, and not part of the solution. The agency perpetuates the refugee issue in a political manner, and in doing so distances any possibility for a future resolution. The international community needs to find a new model that will provide humanitarian assistance to those who truly need it, and must remove from the agenda the futile idea of the return of the refugees.”