The United Nations General Assembly voted to extend the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)'s mandate by three years on Friday.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said he "saluted the overwhelming vote," adding that it "reflects the broad solidarity of people across the world with Palestine Refugees. It is also an acknowledgement of the international community’s responsibility to support the humanitarian and human development needs of Palestine Refugees pending a just and lasting solution to their decades-long plight.
"The vote needs now to be translated into a genuine commitment and matching resources to ensure the mandate is fulfilled," he concluded.
UNRWA "helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance," according to its website.
Israel banned the organization stating that it "has been a facilitator for Hamas’s military buildup."
Who are the few that voted against the renewal?
The only countries to not vote for the renewal besides Israel are Argentina, Fiji, Hungary, North Macedonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, and the United States. 14 other countries abstained in the vote.
Last month, Israel’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Oren Marmorstein named two Hamas operatives, Ashraf Mahd El Madhoun and Mohammed Ibrahim Abd Ghafour, as two individuals who also worked for UNRWA.