UNRWA Commissioner: Calls to End Agency's Mandate are "Short-Sighted"

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, indicated today, Tuesday, that "calls to dismantle the agency are 'short-sighted,' and that ending its mandate would undermine the world’s ability to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza." He mentioned this after a meeting with representatives of UN member states in Geneva, stating, "I spoke with member states regarding all these calls to dismantle and end UNRWA. I warned of the impact of this and said that these calls are short-sighted." He clarified that "the impact will not be limited to the short term only and will not only undermine our collective ability to deal with the humanitarian crisis."