29 July 2025 Press Release Ministerial Meeting of UNRWA Core Group on the Shared Commitments

A Ministerial Meeting of the Core Group of countries on the “Shared Commitments on UNRWA” was convened in New York on 29 July, on the margins of the UN International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.

The meeting was hosted by the Foreign Minister of Luxembourg, Mr. Xavier Bettel, and the Chief of Staff of UNRWA presented a briefing about the grave situation faced by the Agency on the ground. State of Palestine was represented by Foreign Minister Dr. Varsen Aghabekian Shahin.

The members of the Core Group on UNRWA include the following countries: Algeria, Brazil, Belgium, Guyana, Ireland, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Norway, Palestine, Portugal, Qatar, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain and Turkiye.

The Core Group was established in 2024 to defend UNRWA against Israel’s attacks on the Agency in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and on its mandate, including military attacks on its personnel and facilities, illegal legislation to ban UNRWA operations, and a vile campaign to defame and discredit through false allegations against it in a clear attempt to defund the Agency and pressure its collapse.

It was recognized that Israel’s destructive campaign against UNRWA long preceded 7 October, as Israel has always attempted to harm the Palestine refugees and thwart the realization of their rights.

All countries in the Core Group expressed full solidarity with the Palestine refugees, respect for their rights and support to UNRWA. They agreed on the need to find more effective, collective ways to support and preserve UNRWA; secure overwhelming renewal of its mandate; counter the false, toxic narrative by Israel against UNRWA; and urgently mobilize funding to ensure its indispensable humanitarian assistance in all fields of operation in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, and contribution to regional stability. They stressed the need for a coalition of willing countries to act now to address these important objectives.

Minister Shahin stressed that UNRWA is needed more than ever, 2 million in Gaza, those in West Bank being displaced by the minute, that what is happening today is what happened to the Palestinian people in 1948 and ever since as Israel has never ceased its crimes against them. 

The Minister called for action to stop this illegal Israeli scheme and stressed the need to uphold international law and to rely on and implement the ICJ advisory opinion to strengthen our efforts.

She called on all States for the necessary financial and political support to UNRWA, to mobilize early for mandate renewal, to insist on the indispensable role of UNRWA and its uninterrupted operations in Occupied Palestine, including East Jerusalem, and all other fields, and to strongly push back against Israel’s negative and false campaign targeting UNRWA and its illegal legislation against the Agency. It is urgent to coordinate a factual, positive narrative to support UNRWA.

Minister Shahin also stressed that Palestine cannot accept any proposals regarding a handover of UNRWA services to the host countries, a matter that the host countries also reject, and opposed the fragmentation of its services. She stressed that UNRWA mandate must continue until a just solution for the Palestine question is achieved in accordance with international law and UNGA resolution 194 (III), which enshrined the inalienable right of the Palestine refugees to return.

She concluded with recognition of the dedicated service, sacrifice and suffering of UNRWA’s Palestinian staff, alongside their fellow Palestinian citizens, and called for international investigations and accountability for all Israeli attacks on UNRWA staff and facilities. 

It was announced that Jordan, alongside Brazil and Spain, will host another Ministerial meeting on UNRWA in September on the margins of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly to activate solidarity, encourage political and financial support, and mobilize early for mandate renewal.