Palestinian ambassador slams Israel for trying to dictate UN representation

Palestine’s UN ambassador, Riyad Mansour, has hit out at Israel’s attempts to undermine the UN’s refugee agency for Palestinians, insisting that Tel Aviv has no right to “pick and choose” who represents the organisation - or the Palestinian people.

Speaking to the UN Security Council, Mansour accused Israel of not only obliterating Gaza but also attempting to erase the Palestinian people. He made it clear that “there is no alternative to Unrwa” and called on the international community to stand firm in its support for the agency.

His comments come as Israel prepares to forcibly shut down Unrwa’s headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday, a move that threatens to derail vital humanitarian aid efforts in both Gaza and the West Bank.