A Massage from His Bishop Atallah Hanna (Archbishop of Sebastia) Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Occupied Alquds to UNRW
I hope that my message reaches the leadership and officials of UNRWA as an appeal and a demand
Prepared and monitored by: Ruba Youssef Shaheen
Dear friends, dear brothers and sisters
I address this message this morning from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Old Jerusalem regarding a very important issue, which is the UNRWA Foundation, which is an international humanitarian institution that cares for and assists the Palestinian refugees who were afflicted in 1948.
This humanitarian organization is being targeted and incited by Israel and some other parties supporting it.
We, in turn, reject this incitement, this defamation, these abuses, and these attempts aimed at undermining the status of this international organization and stopping the funding it receives. There are some countries that have announced the cessation of their funding to UNRWA, in submission to Israeli dictates, pressures and incitement.
We say: UNRWA and the UNRWA Foundation were established following the Nakba in order to help the displaced and afflicted Palestinians, and since the Palestinian issue has not been resolved and the issue of the Palestinian refugees has not been resolved, its only solution is through their return to the cities and towns from which they were expelled.
Since this issue has not been resolved, UNRWA must remain and must continue to perform its mission and services to our Palestinian people, especially in the afflicted Gaza and everywhere where there are Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, in Syria, in Jordan and in other places UNRWA is present inside Palestine and outside Palestine in places Where Palestinian refugees are located.
It is primarily a humanitarian organization that dedicates its services to caring for our Palestinian people, especially in the refugee camps.
We believe that the conspiracy against UNRWA and the attempts to close it and prevent its services fall within the framework of the conspiracy against the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause, especially against the Palestinian refugees and the right of return, which is an inalienable right that is not subject to statute of limitations.
I extend a special greeting to all UNRWA workers and say to them:
We stand with you while you are subjected to this incitement
I call on the leadership of UNRWA, the leadership of UNRWA everywhere, not to yield to the pressures, dictates, and incitement to which this institution is exposed.
UNRWA has existed since the Nakba and must remain until the Palestinian issue is resolved justly and the Palestinian refugees return to their cities and towns from which they were expelled.
We extend our greetings to all the professors and all those who work in this institution, in all the schools, and in all the institutions affiliated with UNRWA in Lebanon, in Syria, and wherever UNRWA is present while it provides its services to our Palestinian people.
We reject the incitement, abuse, and distortion to which UNRWA is exposed, and we call on the countries that announced the cessation of funding to review their accounts and return to supporting and assisting this organization.
I also call on the Arab countries to support this organization to serve the Palestinian refugees, who are the real beneficiaries of the services of this humanitarian organization.
Beloved ones, we stand in reverence and honor for the sacrifices of our people, for the martyrs of our people in Gaza, in the West Bank, and everywhere, wherever there are martyrs, sacrifices, and innocent blood shed for this just cause.
A thousand greetings from me, and I hope that my message reaches the leadership and officials of UNRWA, appealing and demanding that UNRWA remain in the service of our people in the various humanitarian, social and educational aspects.
