Amman, Dec. 18 (Petra) -- The parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Palestine committees, chaired by Haitham Ziadin and Suleiman Saud, met on Thursday with United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Director of Affairs in Jordan Olaf Becker and Director General of the Department of Palestinian Affairs Rafiq Khirfan to discuss the agency’s role in providing assistance and services to Palestinian refugees.
Saud and Ziadin underscored the humanitarian and political importance of UNRWA’s work in supporting Palestinian refugees, praising Jordan’s efforts, under the leadership of King Abdullah II, to defend the Palestinian cause, halt the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, and advocate in international forums for ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as the only path to a just and comprehensive peace and regional stability.
They emphasized the King’s continued support for UNRWA to ensure the sustainability of its core services, calling for greater focus on the agency’s humanitarian and political role, an end to systematic smear campaigns waged by the Israeli occupation against it, and increased financial backing to enable UNRWA to carry out its mandate until a just solution to the Palestinian issue is reached.
The two MPs reiterated Jordan’s firm rejection of any infringement on Palestinian rights and its absolute opposition to Israeli legislation targeting UNRWA’s operations, urging the international community to intervene urgently to stop such actions and hold the Israeli government fully accountable for their repercussions on regional security and stability.
They also welcomed the UN General Assembly Fourth Committee’s decision to renew UNRWA’s mandate until June 2029, describing it as a victory for justice and international law and a critical step to ensure the continued delivery of essential services to Palestinian refugees amid worsening humanitarian crises.
MPs Ahmed Sarhanah, Ayman Abu Rub, Dima Tahboub, Iman Abbasi, Huda Nafa’ and Muhammad Sabaileh highlighted the need to enhance UNRWA’s services, mobilize international parliamentary support, and increase donor funding, stressing the role of media in conveying the true narrative of the Palestinian people and reaffirming that Jordan has been, and will remain, at the forefront of supporters of UNRWA.
They warned that campaigns targeting the agency carry dangerous political implications beyond their humanitarian impact, threatening regional stability.
Becker affirmed His Majesty King Abdullah II’s steadfast support for the Palestinian cause and for sustaining UNRWA’s work and funding, noting that Jordan hosts one of the largest Palestinian refugee populations.
He outlined the educational, health, and relief services provided by the agency, while pointing to key challenges, particularly global funding shortages and politically driven disinformation campaigns led by the occupation.
Khirfan said the meeting reflects the Lower House's continued attention to refugee issues and UNRWA, which he described as the international umbrella safeguarding refugees and a living testament to their cause and inalienable historical rights.
He warned that severe financial constraints have affected the agency’s ability to maintain essential services across its fields of operation, including Jordan, negatively impacting refugees’ lives and threatening the stability of host communities.
He also cautioned against an organized political assault by the Israeli occupation aimed at undermining UNRWA’s existence and mandate in an attempt to liquidate the refugee issue and the right of return through false allegations and smear campaigns.
Khirfan noted that Jordan, under King Abdullah II’s leadership, has firmly confronted these efforts, playing a pivotal role in countering misleading narratives and defending UNRWA’s humanitarian and legal mandate through intensive diplomatic efforts led by Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to secure political and financial support for the agency and ensure continuity of its mission.
//Petra// AO
