Statement by H.E. Ambassador MIKANAGI Tomohiro, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the General Assembly on UNRWA
2024/11/6
(As delivered)
Thank you, President.
This is one of the deadliest years for UNRWA in its history.
The bills recently adopted by the Israeli Knesset, once they come into force, will severely restrict the Agency’s ability to carry out its work. Any attempts to diminish UNRWA’s operations and mandate as adopted by this General Assembly is not acceptable.
UNRWA’s leadership has made clear the potential consequences of these new laws: its staff could be arrested, visas denied, facilities taken over or destroyed, and deconfliction could be halted completely.
The recent notification by Israel to UNRWA regarding the cancellation of the 1967 exchange of letters makes these possibilities even more likely.
Additionally, we are deeply alarmed by the serious damage sustained by the UNRWA office in Nur Shams Camp in the northern West Bank during a recent Israeli military operation there.
This is yet another example of how challenging, or nearly impossible, the operating environment has become.
President,
Japan is gravely concerned about these dangerous developments. Even in normal times, millions of Palestine refugees simply depend on UNRWA for life-saving assistance and basic services, including health care and education.
But, given the current humanitarian catastrophe, particularly in the Gaza Strip, the importance of UNRWA has been growing more than ever: the fate of the Agency is a life-or-death matter for the desperate Palestine refugees. We should recall that UNRWA remains the backbone of all humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip and beyond.
Japan has been supporting UNRWA since 1953, even before we joined the United Nations. It is our firm belief and also our latest observation that there is no replacement for UNRWA. We also recognize that the Agency is fully committed to take further steps to ensure its neutrality including through the full implementation of the Colonna report.
Japan has directly conveyed its grave concerns on the bills to the Israeli government, and repeatedly urged them to secure a safe and unhindered operating space for UNRWA. We will continue to make all diplomatic efforts to protect the Agency.
Meanwhile, Japan has been at the forefront of providing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, with a total of approximately $130 million since October 7 last year.
We remain steadfast in our commitments to save the most vulnerable.
I thank you, President.
This is one of the deadliest years for UNRWA in its history.
The bills recently adopted by the Israeli Knesset, once they come into force, will severely restrict the Agency’s ability to carry out its work. Any attempts to diminish UNRWA’s operations and mandate as adopted by this General Assembly is not acceptable.
UNRWA’s leadership has made clear the potential consequences of these new laws: its staff could be arrested, visas denied, facilities taken over or destroyed, and deconfliction could be halted completely.
The recent notification by Israel to UNRWA regarding the cancellation of the 1967 exchange of letters makes these possibilities even more likely.
Additionally, we are deeply alarmed by the serious damage sustained by the UNRWA office in Nur Shams Camp in the northern West Bank during a recent Israeli military operation there.
This is yet another example of how challenging, or nearly impossible, the operating environment has become.
President,
Japan is gravely concerned about these dangerous developments. Even in normal times, millions of Palestine refugees simply depend on UNRWA for life-saving assistance and basic services, including health care and education.
But, given the current humanitarian catastrophe, particularly in the Gaza Strip, the importance of UNRWA has been growing more than ever: the fate of the Agency is a life-or-death matter for the desperate Palestine refugees. We should recall that UNRWA remains the backbone of all humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip and beyond.
Japan has been supporting UNRWA since 1953, even before we joined the United Nations. It is our firm belief and also our latest observation that there is no replacement for UNRWA. We also recognize that the Agency is fully committed to take further steps to ensure its neutrality including through the full implementation of the Colonna report.
Japan has directly conveyed its grave concerns on the bills to the Israeli government, and repeatedly urged them to secure a safe and unhindered operating space for UNRWA. We will continue to make all diplomatic efforts to protect the Agency.
Meanwhile, Japan has been at the forefront of providing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, with a total of approximately $130 million since October 7 last year.
We remain steadfast in our commitments to save the most vulnerable.
I thank you, President.