UNRWA rejects Israel’s assertion that refugee status only passed down with Palestinians

Pierre Krähenbühl dismisses the assertion from Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon that only in the case of Palestinians is refugee status passed down to the next generation.

“Under international law and under the principle of family unity, the children of refugees and their descendants are also considered refugees under the eyes of both UNRWA and UNHCR. [Refugees of] Palestine are no different from other refugees in other protracted conflicts,” says Krähenbühl, citing Afghanistan as an example where the children of refugees also receive refugee status as the conflict in Kabul is still ongoing.

Responding to other criticism lobbed by Danon, Krähenbühl says his agency immediately reported to the necessary authorities when it found weapons stored in a number of its schools vacated over the summer. He says UNRWA also immediately dismissed two of its members upon learning that they had been elected to serve as Hamas parliamentarians. Moreover, he says the agency itself filled with cement an attack tunnel dug under one of its schools upon discovery.

He says the agency is determined to continue its dialogue with the US and Israel despite their respective calls that the agency be discontinued.