UN Palestinian agency in ‘darkest hour’, says chief

UNITED NATIONS, United States: The UN aid agency for Palestinians is facing its “darkest hour” and requires ongoing support from UN members after Israel´s decision to ban the organization, its chief said on Wednesday.

“Without intervention by member states, UNRWA will collapse, plunging millions of Palestinians into chaos,” the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, told the General Assembly.

Lazzarini called for the world body -- which created UNRWA in 1949 -- to prevent implementation of the ban on the organization in Israel and occupied east Jerusalem which was approved by the Israeli parliament last month.

Implementation of the law “will have disastrous consequences,” Lazzarini added.

“In Gaza, dismantling UNRWA will collapse the UN humanitarian response, which relies heavily on the agency´s infrastructure,” he continued.