Ramallah – Ma’an – The Department of Refugee Affairs of the Palestine Liberation Organization held a specialized session on the role of the media in confronting the targeting of UNRWA, in the presence of a group of media professionals, journalists, and representatives of institutions working in the media field in Palestine, with the participation of representatives of some media units in public institutions. The dialogue was moderated by journalist Munjed Jado, who stressed the importance of the media and collective work with the Department of Refugee Affairs to achieve a national media strategy that contributes to conveying our people’s message to the entire world.

The session was opened by Dr. Ahmed Abu Holi, Head of the Refugee Affairs Department and member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, who reviewed the systematic violations committed by the Israeli occupation against the international organization UNRWA, the Israeli plans that target the definition of the Palestinia
n refugee, the attempt to demonize UNRWA, the US administration’s cessation of support for UNRWA’s budget, and the role of the media towards these violations and policies targeting UNRWA.

This came during a special dialogue session entitled the role of the media in confronting the targeting of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) with representatives of the media and journalists, organized by the department with the aim of preparing a media strategy for the Department of Refugee Affairs. The meeting was attended by the Undersecretary of the Department of Refugee Affairs, Anwar Hamam, and the directors of its general departments, directors and officials of some government media departments, the Director of the Executive Office for Camps, Nasser Sharay’a, and directors and representatives of a large number of media outlets.

The participants stressed the importance of UNRWA’s vital role in providing services to Palestinian refugees in the five regions of UNRWA’s work, in ac
cordance with its mandate resolution 302. They condemned the fierce Israeli attack on UNRWA, its employees and its facilities, which aims to undermine its work and limit its role, in preparation for its termination, and the necessity of combining national efforts with diplomacy and parliaments with Arab and foreign countries.

The participants stressed the need to strengthen the role of the media locally and internationally to be able to repel the Israeli attacks launched against the UN agency “UNRWA”, and to work on activating the popular system that has a major role in pressuring and influencing globally, in addition to focusing on influencers on social media, and supporting the role of youth and integrating them into national and political issues.

The participants referred to the Israeli violations and practices of the settlers in Jerusalem, the UNRWA headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah, the harassment of its employees during working hours, the assault on them, and the attempt to burn its headquarters, in addit
ion to targeting UNRWA in the Gaza Strip in the barbaric Israeli war, which resulted in the killing of 207 UNRWA employees, the injury of hundreds, the targeting of displaced persons in its schools, and the bombing of its headquarters, all of which aim to eliminate the refugee issue and end UNRWA’s work.

The attendees recommended the necessity of developing a multi-dimensional media strategy, with the participation of all parties and media outlets, with the aim of achieving an internal and external media movement capable of refuting the Israeli allegations, and presenting realistic images of the extent of the targeting to which UNRWA, its employees, headquarters and programmes are exposed.

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed to continue the meetings to begin implementing what was proposed during today’s meeting.

Source: Maan News Agency