There is no plan B for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) because there is no other agency to provide humanitarian aid likewise to refugees in Gaza, said Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA, at a press conference in Geneva on Monday.
Lazzarini made the statement at the UN press conference on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT). He said the agency is irreplaceable, because it is the only UN agency to provide humanitarian aid to refugees in Gaza and it was established based on a mandate of the UN General Assembly resolution.
"There is no plan B within the UN family, because there is no other agency geared to provide the same activities and in reality, the UNRWA is the response of the international community to the plight of the Palestinian refugees through the mandate provided by the GA (General Assembly) resolution," he said.
Lazzarini warned that the Israeli ban on the UNRWA from conducting relevant activities set a dangerous precedent. It runs counter to the UN Charter and violates Israel's obligations under international law.
He added that the Israeli makes efforts to defame the UNRWA and threaten its staff with possible arrests and groundless investigations.
"You have the first impact on our staff regarding the job insecurity but beyond that a real real fear that any of them could be arrested, investigated, convicted for belonging or having worked with an organization, which in this context is considered as being a terrorist organization," he said.
The Israeli parliament on Oct 28 passed a law prohibiting the UNRWA from operating in the country and banning the Israeli government from cooperating with the agency.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Nov 4 that Israel had officially notified the UN that it had terminated its agreement with the UNRWA, which was reached in 1967.
The ministry said that the UNRWA would be replaced by other international organizations, and "preparations will be made to end the connection with UNRWA and to bolster alternatives to UNRWA."
Established in 1949, the UNRWA is responsible for providing humanitarian aid, educational and medical services to the registered Palestinian refugees living in West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
Since the outbreak of the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict, the humanitarian aid provided by the UNRWA has played a critical role in keeping residents in Gaza to survive.
There is no plan B for UNRWA: UN official
Scholars and experts have hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting for outlining a vision of a more integrated and prosperous Asia-Pacific region.
They believe Xi's speech articulated a clear vision for China's role in building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, signaling a new era of regional development and cooperation.
Xi emphasized APEC's pivotal role in driving the Asia-Pacific region's remarkable economic growth and prosperity, making it the world's most dynamic economic region, during his speech titled "Shouldering Responsibility to Our Times And Jointly Promoting Asia-Pacific Development," delivered in Peru's capital Lima on Saturday.
The Chinese president called for efforts to uphold a universally beneficial and inclusive vision for Asia-Pacific development, make good use of the APEC platform to strengthen economic and technical cooperation, increase support for developing economies and disadvantaged groups, and work together to grow the pie and distribute it equitably to allow more economies and people to benefit from development.
Xi also advocated for an open and interconnected Asia-Pacific, emphasizing the critical role of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) in unlocking the region's full economic potential and securing its long-term prosperity
The message conveyed by Xi has been echoed by many as it inspires hope for a brighter future for Asia-Pacific cooperation.
"'The only way to be profitably national is to be generously universal.' President Xi quoted this proverb to express a profound idea. He connected China's interests with those of other countries, emphasizing China's advocacy for win-win cooperation across various fields," said Oscar Vidarte, professor of international relations at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.
"In my opinion, the most significant (in Xi's speech) are the ideas of promoting economic globalization and creating a free trade zone in the region. This will be of great interest to many countries in the region," said Vasily Kashin, director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at Russia's National Research University-Higher School of Economics.
"I think Xi Jinping's presentations to the APEC conference are exactly what's needed these days. He's got his hand on the policy, knows all of these issues, and all of these things, deeply understands them, and has a good dialogue with most of the people, pretty much all of the people attending. Xi Jinping's presentation was very good. It was accurate, it reflected China's policy. It reflected a collaborative aspiration for the world, and that's what we want," said Mike Dawson, president of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand China Friendship Society.
Meanwhile, several major international news organizations have published articles covering Xi's speech.
President Xi emphasized China's focus on promoting mutual benefit and win-win outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region, expressing the desire to "create a new hallmark of a green and digital Asia-Pacific" and to "usher in the next 'golden thirty years' of Asia-Pacific development," wrote EFE News.
Noting that the world is entering a new period of turbulence and transformation, President Xi expressed concern and voiced opposition to the spread of unilateralism and protectionism, as well as increasing economic fragmentation. He called for maintaining the stability and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains, according to an article by the AFP.
Reuters reported that President Xi outlined a series of measures by the Chinese government to further expand openness, and emphasized that China will take proactive steps to open its door even wider to the world.
Xi's APEC speech hailed for expanded cooperation, shared prosperity
