The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) dismissed, on Thursday, threats by the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, to close down its operations in occupied East Jerusalem.
In early October, Nir Barkat announced that he plans to remove the UN agency for Palestinian refugees from occupied East Jerusalem, which he accused of “operating illegally and promoting incitement against Israel.”
UNRWA confirms that it will continue to provide services in occupied Jerusalem and will not be deterred by the plan of the Occupation Mayor of Jerusalem to terminate its work.
— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) October 18, 2018
Barkat also said that schools, clinics, and sports centers, among other services operated by the UNRWA in East Jerusalem, will be transferred to the Israeli authorities.
UNRWA spokesperson, Sami Mshasha, said that,
“While these threats are worrying, they will not change facts on the ground since UNRWA exists based on international resolutions and binding bilateral agreements.”
Mayor Barkat Says UNRWA is Strengthening Terror in Jerusalem, Wants Them Ousted [PHOTOS] https://t.co/qOw4WYOJkk
— Yeshiva World News (@YWN) October 18, 2018
Mshasha added that,
“UNRWA is going to continue with its mandate in East Jerusalem and anywhere else where it operates and will provide these services to Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem regardless of Barkat’s threats.”
#UNRWA Concerned about #Israeli Plan to Stop its Work in Jerusalem https://t.co/O4h04H4gtj @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/qHreiY6OSs
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 8, 2018
He added that the threats are nothing new to the agency.
UNRWA currently provides services to some 5 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the occupied Palestinian territories, and the besieged Gaza Strip.
(Ma’an, PC, Social Media)
