عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Jerusalem Mayor Wants UNRWA Out of City

A Palestinian man sits outside an aid distribution center run by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip September 1, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
A Palestinian man sits outside an aid distribution center run by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip September 1, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
TT
TT

Jerusalem Mayor Wants UNRWA Out of City

A Palestinian man sits outside an aid distribution center run by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip September 1, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
A Palestinian man sits outside an aid distribution center run by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip September 1, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Jerusalem's outgoing mayor is calling on the international community to consider his proposal to end the local operations of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, saying there is "no such thing" as a refugee in the city.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Nir Barkat, who is leaving office after elections later this month, said on Sunday that he was inspired to make his proposal after the United States cut off $300 million in funding to the agency last month.

Barkat's proposal marks the latest assault by Israel and the US against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. US budget cuts have sent the agency into a financial crisis and drawn Palestinian accusations that Israel and the US are trying to erase the refugee issue from the international agenda.

Barkat accused UNRWA schools of using textbooks that promote anti-Israel incitement, and said Israel can provide much better education and health care services to Palestinians who rely on the agency. The US funding cuts will only widen those gaps, he said.

"I look at all of my residents as residents. There's no such thing as residents that live in the city of Jerusalem that are defined as refugees," he said. "We will treat them like any other residents in the city and provide the best services we can."

Barkat's plan faces significant obstacles. For starters, he does not appear to have the legal authority to shut down an international agency that was created by the UN General Assembly decades ago and continues to have wide international backing. He said the Israeli government is studying the proposal.

In addition, taking on the responsibility of providing services to Jerusalem's more than 12,000 Palestinians who rely on UNRWA will be an additional burden for the cash-strapped municipality.

The city's roughly 340,000 Palestinians live overwhelmingly in impoverished neighborhoods of east Jerusalem that already suffer from poor services, overcrowded schools and inadequate infrastructure.

The Shuafat refugee camp, where most of the city's refugees live, lies on the outskirts of the city behind Israel's West Bank separation barrier.

Barkat, however, encouraged the UN and others to consider his proposal with "an open mind."

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Sudanese FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Reject a ‘Libyan Model’ with Formation of Parallel Government

Egyptian Foreign Minister receiving his Sudanese counterpart in Cairo on Sunday (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister receiving his Sudanese counterpart in Cairo on Sunday (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
TT
TT

Sudanese FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Reject a ‘Libyan Model’ with Formation of Parallel Government

Egyptian Foreign Minister receiving his Sudanese counterpart in Cairo on Sunday (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister receiving his Sudanese counterpart in Cairo on Sunday (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)

Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Youssef Al-Sharif expressed firm opposition to what he described as the “Libyan model” being replicated in Sudan, emphasizing that any moves aimed at forming a parallel government are unacceptable.

He warned that such efforts would “weaken Sudan and complicate efforts to resolve the current crisis.”

Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in internal conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), labeled a “rebel militia” by the government. The war has claimed thousands of civilian lives and displaced millions both internally and externally.

In exclusive remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat during his visit to Cairo, Al-Sharif cautioned against the dangers of consultations being held by some political and civil actors to form a “parallel government,” describing such efforts as targeting the division and fragmentation of Sudan.

In recent weeks, Sudanese political forces, including figures from the “Tansiqiyya Taqaddum” coalition, have held discussions in Nairobi, Kenya, to explore the formation of a “peace government,” a move welcomed by the RSF.

The foreign minister described these initiatives as “a new conspiracy against Sudan,” alleging the involvement of external actors motivated by the military’s advances against the RSF. He emphasized Sudan’s reliance on countries that support its unity and stability to thwart these moves and ensure they are not legitimized. Al-Sharif highlighted that Egypt is at the forefront of nations on which Sudan depends in countering these efforts, adding that his country maintains strong relations with key Arab states and international powers, including Russia and China.

During talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdel Aty, the two ministers agreed that attempts to establish a parallel government would complicate Sudan’s internal situation. Al-Sharif praised Egypt’s support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, and national institutions.

On warnings of famine in Sudan, the official dismissed claims by some international forces about the country facing famine, accusing these actors of trying to pressure the UN Security Council to intervene. He clarified that Sudan is experiencing a “domestic food crisis” but not famine.

Russia recently vetoed a British-sponsored resolution in the Security Council calling for the implementation of the Jeddah humanitarian agreement signed in May 2023. The resolution also proposed creating a regional protection force in coordination with the African Union and international partners to safeguard civilians in Sudan.

The minister linked international focus on the famine narrative to calls for a parallel government, describing these as part of a “unified conspiracy targeting Sudan’s resources and capabilities.”

He criticized the international community’s “weak response” to crimes committed by the RSF against civilians, asserting that the documented violations are sufficient grounds for the International Criminal Court to prosecute RSF leaders.

Sudan has taken legal measures through international organizations such as the UN Security Council and the African Union to classify the RSF as a terrorist group. Al-Sharif also criticized the global community for ignoring Sudan’s crisis while focusing on the war in Gaza. He urged action to restrict the movement of RSF leaders and hold accountable the states providing them refuge.

Regarding the resolution of the ongoing war, Al-Sharif asserted that military resolution is the only viable option at present. He highlighted the army’s progress toward military victory, attributing delays to the RSF’s strategy of using civilians and civilian infrastructure as shields.

The foreign minister insisted that a political solution cannot be pursued while the war continues, arguing that political issues must be left to civilian forces to discuss after a ceasefire is achieved. He emphasized that any lasting resolution must involve a ceasefire followed by the complete disbandment of the RSF, as Sudan cannot tolerate the existence of armed forces parallel to the national military.

On Sudan’s potential reinstatement to the African Union, Al-Sharif stated that restoring the country’s membership requires the formation of a civilian government in line with a constitutional document. He did not rule out the possibility of such a government being formed in the near future. “It is possible,” he said.