Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUN / LAZZARINI INTERVIEW
STORY: UN / LAZZARINI INTERVIEW
TRT: 04:19
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 14 NOVEMBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior UN Headquarters
14 NOVEMBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
2. Wide shot, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini interviewed by the Director of the United Nations News and Media Division, Ian Phillips
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA):
“There is absolutely no United Nations agency geared to provide public-like services, like education at the primary, secondary age. That would mean sacrificing an entire generation. That would also mean, you know, that we would plant the seed for more extremism, for more resentment, and for more hate in the future. So, the consequences would definitely be catastrophic.”
4. Med shot, Lazzarini and Phillips
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA):
“We are primarily a human development organisation providing public-like services such as education to more than 550,000 girls and boys across the region. We are running 700 school, but we are also providing primary health care to more than 2 million people across the region. And only in Gaza today, despite the war, despite the challenges our staff are confronted with, we are still providing on a daily basis 16,000 consultations.”
6. Wide shot, Lazzarini and Phillips
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA):
“Our staff is primarily from the community, so basically, they endure the same challenges, the same suffering, the same tragedy than anyone else in Gaza. As you know, people have been on the move constantly. They have been kind of a pinballs. Our staff also, being part of the community has followed the community. Staff also is living in shelters, shelters which as you know, most of the time have been damaged or even targeted. So, somehow our strength is that our staff is part of the community. And because they are part of the community, because they move with the community, we have this proximity and ability to provide these services.”
8. Med shot, Lazzarini and Phillips
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA):
“We need to convince the Israeli government to put on hold the implementation of these laws. And once this is on hold, we need to insert the role of the Agency within any possible political pathway leading to a two-state solution, leading to empowered Palestinian institution. In fact, only a functioning state public institution can properly take over the activities of UNRWA. And if we do not do this, and if in three months’ time we stop abruptly all the activities of UNRWA, that would create a vacuum. It's like throwing the baby with a water. And if there is a vacuum, how will it be filled?”
10. Wide shot, Lazzarini and Phillips
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA):
“UNRWA in reality is a tool of the international community, of the UN General Assembly? So, if UNRWA is dismantled or has to end its activities on demand of one member state, that means the onus will shift back on the shoulder of the occupying power being the state of Israel. And there will have to be the one to provide education and primary health care to millions of Palestinians.”
12. Wide shot, Lazzarini and Phillips
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA):
The United States has frozen its contribution. It is and has been a longstanding partner of the agency, the biggest donor. We still have today a shortfall. We are still struggling to cover on our costs between now and the end of the year. And it is true that the forecast for 2025 sounds quite bleak. The US will not start its contribution during the first two quarters. Traditionally, they paid their contribution at the time. A number of European countries are also entering into austerity budget
14. Wide shot, Lazzarini and Phillips
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini today (14 Nov) said UNRWA staff in Gaza are “part of the community,” and as such, “have this proximity and ability” to provide services to the population.
In an interview with the UN’s News and Media Division Director, Ian Phillips, Lazzarini said, “there is absolutely no United Nations agency geared to provide public-like services, like education at the primary, secondary age.”
He said, “that would mean sacrificing an entire generation. That would also mean, you know, that we would plant the seed for more extremism, for more resentment, and for more hate in the future. So, the consequences would definitely be catastrophic.”
Lazzarini, who briefed the General Assembly’s Fourth Committee this week, said, “we are primarily a human development organisation providing public-like services such as education to more than 550,000 girls and boys across the region. We are running 700 school, but we are also providing primary health care to more than 2 million people across the region. And only in Gaza today, despite the war, despite the challenges our staff are confronted with, we are still providing on a daily basis 16,000 consultations.
UNRWA staff, he said, “is primarily from the community, so basically, they endure the same challenges, the same suffering, the same tragedy than anyone else in Gaza,” and that, he added, is “somehow our strength.”
The Commissioner-General said, “we need to convince the Israeli government to put on hold the implementation of these laws. And once this is on hold, we need to insert the role of the Agency within any possible political pathway leading to a two-state solution, leading to empowered Palestinian institution. In fact, only a functioning state public institution can properly take over the activities of UNRWA. And if we do not do this, and if in three months’ time we stop abruptly all the activities of UNRWA, that would create a vacuum. It's like throwing the baby with a water. And if there is a vacuum, how will it be filled?
He said, “UNRWA in reality is a tool of the international community, of the UN General Assembly? So, if UNRWA is dismantled or has to end its activities on demand of one member state, that means the onus will shift back on the shoulder of the occupying power being the state of Israel. And there will have to be the one to provide education and primary health care to millions of Palestinians.”
On the financial situation, Lazzarini said, “the United States has frozen its contribution. It is and has been a longstanding partner of the agency, the biggest donor. We still have today a shortfall. We are still struggling to cover on our costs between now and the end of the year. And it is true that the forecast for 2025 sounds quite bleak. The US will not start its contribution during the first two quarters. Traditionally, they paid their contribution at the time. A number of European countries are also entering into austerity budget.”
On 28 October, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, voted in favour of legislation targeting UNRWA, which could effectively bring its operations in the occupied Palestinian territories to a halt.
Download
There is no media available to download.
Related Content
