Pope Leo XIV received Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
“I briefed him on the immense suffering endured by Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as well as on the political & financial challenges confronting UNRWA,” Lazzarini said following yesterday’s audience. “I stressed that the attacks on UNRWA are an assault on the multilateral system and a defiance of international law with reverberations far beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
“I also stressed that bringing back to a learning environment the more than 600,000 girls and boys currently living in the rubble of Gaza should be our common priority to avoid a lost generation,” he added. “I sought the Holy Father’s support to preserve UNRWA’s critical services, primarily in the area of education, public health and safety nets for Palestine Refugees in Gaza and across the region until a just and fair political solution is in place.”
Lazzarini subsequently spoke with Vatican News about the audience and the UNRWA. The agency is facing a “dire” financial crisis, The Times of Israel reported.