Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States,
Excellencies,
As we mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, it is a great honor to accept this award in recognition of UNRWA's services to Palestine Refugees.
This award belongs to my remarkable colleagues, especially those doing lifesaving work amid a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza; escalating violence in the occupied West Bank; and an uneasy truce in Lebanon.
They have paid a heavy price for their commitment to serving Palestine Refugees.
In Gaza, 249 UNRWA personnel have been killed.
Those who have survived the sieges and bombardments of the last 14 months are struggling to cope with their own displacement and the lack of any safety.
They are grieving countless losses - of loved ones, of homes, and of hope.
Many have worked for more than a year without pause, in appalling and often inhumane conditions.
In the occupied Palestinian territory, the clock is ticking towards the implementation of the Israeli Knesset legislation to end UNRWA's operations.
17,000 staff fear the loss of employment.
They face credible threats to their security because they work for UNRWA.
They are part of Palestinian communities that, without UNRWA, will be deprived of access to education, primary healthcare and social support.
Today, Palestinians are facing an unprecedented and existential threat, compounded by efforts to prevent the Agency from providing critical services in the occupied Palestinian territory.
I urge Member States to use all available legal and political tools to prevent the implementation of the Knesset legislation that will cut the lifeline UNRWA provides.
The Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, under the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the League of Arab States and several UN Member States is a notable effort to ensure a just political solution that includes Palestine Refugees.
UNRWA is engaging closely with this initiative - we have a critical role to play in ensuring a viable transition as a provider of essential services like education and healthcare.
The Agency also requires urgent financial support to avoid an acute cashflow crisis early next year, precipitated by the funding suspension maintained by the United States.
My team and I will do everything in our power to continue delivering emergency assistance and essential services to Palestine Refugees.
I urge you to translate solidarity into action and make every effort to safeguard both UNRWA's mandate and the thousands of staff who make our lifesaving work possible.