A ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)'s activities by Israel could have devastating consequences for the next generation in the Gaza Strip, as the agency provides aid in the area of education, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on Thursday.
"Would UNRWA have to disappear from Gaza, not only our collective ability to respond to unprecedented need would decrease, but we would also sacrifice the future generation," Lazzarini said, speaking at UN Headquarters in New York.
There are over 650,000 children in Gaza traumatized by the ongoing conflict, he added.
"And if you get rid of an agency like UNRWA, who will be in charge to bring them back in the learning environment? There is absolutely no United Nations agency geared to provide public services like education of the primary and secondary age. That would mean sacrificing an entire generation; that would also mean that we would also plant seeds for more extremism, for resentment, and more hate in the future," Lazzarini said.
Lazzarini also warned that the consequences "would definitely be catastrophic."
According to a UN report on activities of UNRWA, Israel has not been able to provide any evidence that UNRWA employees were involved in terrorist activities.
Lazzarini called the Israeli parliament's decision on UNRWA activities in Israel and the territories it controls, passed earlier this month, a form of collective punishment, saying it contradicts the UN Charter and will lead to greater suffering for Palestinians.