Philippe Lazzarini
 Philippe Lazzarini    (diplomat) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1964 |
| Alma mater | University of Neuchâtel, University of Lausanne |
Swiss-Italian Philippe Lazzarini is Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).[1]
On 17 April 2024, Philippe Lazzarini addressed the UN Security Council:
- The Commissioner-General of the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) briefed the Security Council in New York on Wednesday as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, telling ambassadors that life-saving deliveries are being blocked by Israel as part of an "insidious campaign" to push it out of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.[2]
Background
From 2015 until 2020, Philippe Lazzarini was Deputy UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL), UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Lebanon. Prior to this, he was the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), where he also served as UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative. Before that Lazzarini held senior positions in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Israeli allegations
On 12 February 2024, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said he had no intention of resigning and hoped the EU would continue to fund his agency, after allegations staff members were involved in the Hamas attack on Israel.
"No, I have no intention to resign," Lazzarini told reporters in Brussels following a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Members of the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu have called on Lazzarini to step down after serious allegations against his staffers emerged.
"We have one government calling for (my) resignation. We might have other voices, but I haven't heard any other government," Lazzarini explained.
Last month, Tel Aviv claimed 12 UNRWA staff members were involved in the October 7 attacks launched by Hamas against Israel, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and sparked a war in Gaza that has claimed the lives of more than 26,000 Palestinians.
The grave accusation, revealed by Israel on the same day the International Court of Justice ordered it to prevent genocide in Gaza, sparked fears of possible infiltration by Hamas, designated a terrorist organisation by the EU, into the Western-funded UN agency.
Lazzarini suggested, however, that Israel had yet to provide evidence to substantiate its accusations.[3]
Event Participated in
| Event | Start | End | Location(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munich Security Conference/2024 | 16 February 2024 | 18 February 2024 | Munich Bavaria Germany | Annual conference of mid-level functionaries from the military-industrial complex - politicians, propagandists and lobbyists - in their own bubble, far from the concerns of their subjects |
Related Document
| Title | Type | Publication date | Author(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document:Has International Law Survived, or Has the Western Political Class Killed It? | blog post | 28 January 2024 | Craig Murray | Now think of this: the very next day after President Herzog made a genocidal statement, as determined by the International Court of Justice, he was met and offered “full support” by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission and Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament |
References
- ↑ "Secretary-General Appoints Philippe Lazzarini of Switzerland Commissioner-General, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugee in Near East"
- ↑ "‘Insidious campaign’ by Israel is denying life-saving aid to Gaza says UNRWA chief"
- ↑ "UNRWA chief has no intention to resign over allegations, hopes EU will continue funding"
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