Cairo: Qatar participated in the extraordinary session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the level of permanent delegates, held yesterday at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League in Cairo, to discuss the repercussions of implementing the decision of the Israeli Knesset to ban the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Palestinian territories.
The delegation of Qatar was headed by its Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to Arab League H E Tariq Ali Faraj Al Ansari.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Ambassador Al Ansari told QNA that Qatar was among the first countries to support the convening of this meeting called for by Jordan and Egypt.
He explained that the meeting discussed the consequences of the decisions taken by the Israeli Knesset to suspend the work of UNRWA and the accusations directed at the leaders of this UN agency that specialises in the relief and employment of Palestinian refugees in light of the difficult circumstances they are going through.
The Ambassador noted that the meeting issued a statement clearly defining the position agreed upon by all, which is to reject the accusations directed at UNRWA and any decisions related to suspending its work and to consider these decisions illegitimate and illegal and in violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions, as well as in violation of the obligations imposed on the occupying power, which is Israel.
He also said the statement issued by the emergency meeting also emphasised the transparency and governance followed in the work of UNRWA through international reports issued in this regard, noting also that the UNRWA Advisory Committee meets periodically and includes member states of the United Nations, as it seeks to reach a consensus and provide advice and assistance to the Commissioner-General of this UN agency, which contributes to the implementation of its tasks with the desired transparency and governance.
He added that during the meeting, it was emphasised in one voice that the reasons still exist for the continuation of the work of this UN agency due to the continuation of the occupation, adding, “When the occupation ends, we can then say that the mission of UNRWA has ended, but as long as the occupation exists, this UN agency is an integral part of the important international tools to help the Palestinian people.”
