Yasser Ali / Palestinian Writer and Poet
In the previous article, we discussed the external and international pressures exerted on UNRWA to end its operations. Today, we will address the measures taken by UNRWA that align with these pressures and contribute to its termination, serving both American and Israeli interests.
At a time when the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is facing unprecedented political and financial pressures, Palestinian refugees had hoped that the agency would be a shield protecting their basic rights. However, a series of recent measures have sparked widespread concern, as they have affected the most vulnerable groups and impacted employees and services, particularly in Lebanon.
Among the most prominent of these measures is the suspension or significant reduction of aid to the "Social Affairs" category (the poorest families), which effectively pushes thousands of families to the brink of complete destitution. Cash assistance in US dollars provided to individuals has been suspended or frozen, at a time when the camps are experiencing an unprecedented economic collapse and a dramatic rise in the cost of living.
Palestinian refugees from Syria in Lebanon have also been subjected to harsh austerity measures, including reductions or complete cessation of their allowances, despite their already precarious legal and economic situation among refugee communities. This aligns with Lebanese pressure for their return to Syria, where homes have been destroyed and job opportunities are nonexistent.
These measures have not been limited to the financial aspect; they have extended to the symbolic and national aspect. In geography textbooks for some grade levels, the map of historical Palestine has been replaced with one limited to the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This move has raised legitimate questions about the political messages behind this change and its impact on the collective consciousness of the younger generations in UNRWA schools.
In terms of employment, hundreds of staff members have been dismissed for political and security reasons across the five countries where UNRWA operates, without clear guarantees or fair and transparent procedures. A 20% salary cut was imposed on most of its employees, a severe blow to those who rely entirely on their income to support their families in collapsing economies, particularly in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the administration is pursuing a policy of arbitrary dismissal against union leaders and employees active in unions who demand their colleagues' rights and refuse to allow the financial deficit to be addressed at the expense of poor people or employees, and at the expense of national principles related to the right of return and Palestinian identity.
What is needed today is sound crisis management based on transparency, the participation of employee and community representatives in decision-making, and the search for alternatives that preserve the dignity of refugees and the stability of employees.
UNRWA is not merely a service institution, but an international witness to the Nakba of our people. Any policies that weaken the resilience of refugees or diminish the presence of historical Palestine in the collective consciousness undermine.the very essence of the role for which it was established.