Press Release sent by Dr. ABED ELRAZEG ABU JAZER, Media Advisor , Embassy of the State of Palestine in India
Thursday 20 June 2024
On the occasion of World Refugee Day, which falls on June 20 every year, Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000. The Israeli occupation has been continuing ethnic cleansing and displacement policy against the Palestinian people for 76 years in a row.
On the occasion of World Refugee Day, we point out the following facts:
The United Nations General Assembly was established in 1949 for the relief and employment of Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) with the aim of providing humanitarian relief to more than 700 thousand Palestinian refugees who were forced to flee their homes in Palestine.
According to the UNRWA definition, the title A Palestinian refugee who has been replaced His natural residence falls within the scope of the mandate on Palestine during the period between June 1, 1946 and May 15, 1948, who lost his home
and livelihood Both as a result of the war that carried a year 1948 between the Arabs and Israel, and thus qualify. To hold the title and register with the UNRWA agency. Hence the reference to " Palestine refugees “And not " Palestinian refugees” in the name of the agency UNRWA and its official documents.
Eligible for registration UNRWA has people who are descended from Palestine refugees, but do not benefit from the services of The agency is only living in one of the fields the five included in its operations.
According to UNRWA estimates for the year 2020, the number of Palestinian refugees amounted to about 6,4 million refugees, including 2 million in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, distributed over 58 refugee camps in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
After the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip after October 7, 2023:
The occupation forcibly displaced more than 1,9 million Palestinians from their homes after exercising the most heinous massacres and ethnic cleansing against them. The occupation also lost about 4,000 Palestinians in the West Bank during this period.
Palestine refugees represent 70% of Gaza’s population. The 1.4 million refugees in Gaza and facing Ethnic cleansing.
The Israeli occupation and the targeting of UNRWA
By targeting Palestinian refugees, the occupation seeks to target and liquidate UNRWA and limit its work, which is considered the backbone of providing humanitarian assistance to the population in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli occupation forces targeted the agency's buildings, schools and health clinics in the Gaza Strip, killed 192 UNRWA employees, among them are COLONEL WAIBHAV Anil Kale, a retired Indian Army officer working with the United Nations, was killed when his vehicle came under attack in Rafah the attack which took place when he was travelling to the European Hospital in Rafah in a United Nations vehicle. A staff member of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS (and targeted more than 394 UNRWA buildings, and used 57 UNRWA buildings for military purposes in. and also seeks to attach the charge of terrorism to UNRWA and its staff.
On World Refugee Day, we affirm that the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes is guaranteed in all international conventions and conventions and is based mainly on the UN General Assembly Resolution No. 194, which stipulates that Palestinian refugees should be allowed to return to their homes from which they were displaced and compensation for lost or damaged property and that this right is inalienable.
The right of Return does not disappear over time and is inherited by generations, a right confirmed by all other international conventions and treaties.
On this occasion, we call on the world to fulfill its responsibilities to stop the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian refugees, as well as to stop its policies towards UNRWA and its attempt to liquidate it and reduce its work to provide assistance to the Palestinian refugees, especially in the Gaza Strip and to provide international protection to all Palestinians in Gaza.
India and the matter on World Refugee Day
We call on India to work constantly and diligently with the United Nations, World countries and international organizations to ensure the implementation of UN Resolution No. 194 Issued in 1948.
We also look forward to India doing everything possible to strengthen the role of UNRWA, strengthen its presence and its role in serving Palestinian refugees, and respond in coordination with the international community to prevent Israeli attempts to liquidate it
We also call on India to increase its financial and in-kind contribution to UNRWA during the next phase due to the increase in the heavy burden on UNRWA to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip due to the continuation of the Israeli attacks and the great destruction they have left in all fields