Palestinian Refugees and UNRWA’s Role Amid Annexation, COVID-19
Date and time: Thursday, June 4, 2020, 1 pm British Summer Time (UTC+1)
Register here.
Speakers:
- Gwyn Lewis, director of operations in the West Bank, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
- Matthias Schmale, director of operations in Gaza, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Moderator: Yossi Mekelberg, senior consulting research fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House
The COVID-19 pandemic and recent political developments in Israel have added additional layers of uncertainty in Israeli-Palestinian relations. Amidst the pandemic, the newly elected Israeli unity government is considering annexing large swathes of the West Bank, based on the Trump Administration’s “Peace to Prosperity” plan. In response, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has announced an end to previous agreements signed with Israel and the United States.
In this webinar, part of the MENA Programme Online Event Series, the Directors of West Bank and Gaza operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will discuss the humanitarian repercussions these developments could have on Palestine refugees and UNRWA’s work in supporting displaced Palestinians.
