Cairo: The Arab League on Thursday emphasized the "indispensable" role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in aiding Palestinians until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The League underscored the necessity for the agency to maintain its operations uninterrupted. According to Kuwait News Agency, the Cairo-based Arab League declared that no substitute exists for UNRWA until a sovereign Palestinian state is established, with borders based on the 1967 lines and East Jerusalem as its capital. This decision was reached unanimously during an extraordinary meeting of permanent delegates in Cairo. The pan-Arab organization condemned a series of Israeli actions perceived as obstructive to UNRWA's mission in Palestinian areas. The League asserted that such measures violate international law and United Nations conventions that uphold Palestinian refugee rights. Acknowledging the contributions from allies, including nations and entities sup porting UNRWA, the Arab League referred to these supporters as the "humanitarian arm" of the UN agency. The League accused Israeli forces of "mass genocide" against Palestinians, a charge agreed upon by the assembled diplomats. The Arab League called on parliaments across the Arab world to intensify diplomatic efforts to sustain UNRWA and to press Israel to reverse decisions negatively impacting the agency's work.
