Peace Prospects and Implications for UNRWA’s Future: An International Law Perspective

摘要

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to provide humanitarian and development assistance, pending the just resolution of the Palestinian refugee question. This article examines what roles the Agency may be suited to fulfill in a post-conflict transition and peace-building scenario for Palestinian refugees. The article sets out the framework for considering UNRWA’s future contributions, taking into account its current mandate, the historical exclusion of Palestine refugees from the benefits of the international protection system, and current policy approaches to resolving the refugee question. It argues that the Agency’s decades-long relationship with the refugees and countries of asylum, its long-standing development activities with refugee communities, and recent institutional reforms could aid the implementation of durable solutions for Palestine refugees. Rather than a precipitous winding-down, a targeted transformation of the Agency should be considered for the day when a just resolution is achieved, taking into account its suitable role as a leading implementing partner in a transitional period.