The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) was established on December 8, 1949 by the United Nations General Assembly (Resolution 302 (IV)) to provide humanitarian assistance and relief to Palestine refugees who were forcibly displaced during the Nakba (catastrophe) of 1948. Over the decades, the Agency has served as a haven for millions of Palestinians, providing essential education, health and relief services.
On October 29, 2024, the Israeli Knesset passed a bill prohibiting UNRWA from operating, in blatant defianceِ of the legitimacy and international mandate under which it was established. While UNRWA was established in response to the will of the international community, this ban comes as a unilateral decision by the occupying power, depriving Palestinian refugees of basic services as part of ongoing attempts to end their cause and eliminate their right of return.
The continuation of UNRWA’s work over the past seven decades is not only the provision of aid but also a testimony to the ongoing Nakba that the Palestinians have been suffering since 1948. Currently, as Israel intensifies its aggression in the Gaza Strip and refugee camps in the West Bank, the need for the Agency’s work is more vital than ever. It serves as the last resort for hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their homes and livelihoods.
UNRWA’s UN mandate will not end until the Palestinian people achieve their legitimate rights under international law, namely the right of return. Once this is achieved, the Palestinians will be the first to demand an end to UNRWA’s role, as its raison d’etre is tied to the roots of the problem.
Yasser Arafat Museum - The Museum of the Palestinian Contemporary National Memory - is organizing this exhibition to highlight the role of UNRWA. It is linked to one of the longest chapters in the history of the Palestinian cause, and the catastrophic repercussions resulting from Israel’s decision to prohibit the Agency. This decision directly affects the lives of millions of Palestinian refugees who depend on UNRWA to meet their basic needs in the Agency’s areas of operation.
