Skip to Content Facebook Feature Image

UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

China

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration -:-
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
Â
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      China

      China

      UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

      2025-01-30 11:03 Last Updated At:18:57

      Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on Tuesday warned of catastrophic consequences of Israel's planned ban on the operation of the agency which was scheduled to take effect on Thursday.

      An Israeli law passed in October 2024 mandates an end to UNRWA's operation on Israeli land - including East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in a move not recognized internationally - and contact with Israeli authorities from Thursday. It also bars Israeli officials from any contact with UNRWA. The move has drawn condemnation from international leaders and aid groups.

      During a Tuesday briefing to ambassadors to UN in New York, Lazzarini cautioned that the Israeli legislation would threaten the lives of millions of Palestinians and risks collapsing Gaza's precarious truce.

      "The agency is critical for supporting a shattered population under ceasefire. And yet in two days, our operation in the occupied Palestinian territory would be crippled, as legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset takes effect. The relentless assault on UNRWA is harming the lives and future of Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory. It is eroding the trust in the international community, jeopardizing prospect for peace and security," said Lazzarini.

      Israel reiterated on Wednesday it would sever all ties with the UNRWA starting on Thursday, accusing the agency of employing Hamas operatives and enabling "terror activity" in Gaza.

      "UNRWA is riddled with Hamas," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said on social media platform X. "Beginning Jan. 30, Israel will cease all engagement with UNRWA in accordance with Israeli law," he wrote.

      UNRWA, which provides vital healthcare, education, and emergency services to millions of Palestinians, denied the allegations and said it has received no formal evidence from Israel to substantiate the claims.

      The UNRWA was established in 1949 to provide critical humanitarian aid, education, and healthcare services to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, as well as in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. As of Jan. 28, 2024, UNRWA operates 58 official refugee camps across Gaza and neighboring countries, supporting approximately 5.9 million registered refugees.

      In addition to its refugee camps, UNRWA has established 706 schools and 140 health facilities, playing a vital role in addressing the educational and medical needs of displaced Palestinian communities.

      UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

      UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

      UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

      UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

      UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

      UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

      UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

      UNRWA chief warns of catastrophic consequences of Israel's looming ban on agency

      Next Article

      China unveils top archaeological findings of 2024

      2025-02-20 10:29 Last Updated At:11:07

      The top six archaeological findings across China in 2024 were announced at Wednesday's annual archaeology forum hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

      The discoveries, covering from the Paleolithic Age to the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing Dynasties (1636-1912), shed light on studies on the history and culture of ancient China.

      The earliest of the six, the Dadong Site, is located in Jilin Province in northeast China. Discovered in the strata dating from 28,000 to 24,000 years ago, the site involves an artificial stone circle, which should be the remains of a primary shed of ancient humans, implying the archaeological importance of the Changbai Mountain area in the field of evolutionary anthropology studies.

      The Xiatang Site in east China's Zhejiang Province, a Neolithic Age settlement site, reveals the structure and layout of the ancient village, providing new evidence for the study of the social structure of early-stage agricultural societies.

      At the Siwa Site, another Neolithic Age site in northwest China's Gansu Province, the first prehistory large-scale near square-shaped moat was discovered, which might hint at the origin of the square-walled cities in China.

      The Zhouyuan Site in Shaanxi Province of northwest China shows evidence of China's earliest dynasties, providing written materials for studying the history of Western Zhou Dynasty (about 1046 – 771 BC). With over 200 bone and tortoise shell pieces for divination rites being found, phrases totaling over 180 oracle scripts were recognized, covering documentations of astronomy, calendar, history, and geology.

      At a Warring States period site in east China's Anhui Province, the Wuwangdun Site, researchers excavated over 10,000 pieces of cultural relics, including multiple Ding sets, or special cauldron sets, the representative ritual vessels that have long been used to represent social class and nobility, and symbols of China's traditional rites and ethnicity.

      In east China's Jiangxi Province, the archaeological site of Jingdezhen City, the world-famous town of porcelain with a thousand-year history, welcomed new discoveries. The latest discoveries at the Jingdezhen Site revealed the sources of materials and fuels that supported the large-scale porcelain production, as well as the local traffic net in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, giving people a perception to understand Jingdezhen's development history.

      "These discoveries are not only about gathering ancient relics in the fields, but, more importantly, about their value for academic research. Every single result complements our understanding of Chinese history and culture," said Shi Jinsong, the deputy head of the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Science.

      China unveils top archaeological findings of 2024

      China unveils top archaeological findings of 2024

      China unveils top archaeological findings of 2024

      China unveils top archaeological findings of 2024

      Recommended Articles
      Hot · Posts