2 October 2003
On 31 July, the Israeli Ministry of Defence announced the completion of the first phase of the security barrier, officially launched on 16 June 2002. UNRWA calculated the impact of the wall on Palestinian refugees. Read more about The impact of the first phase of security barrier on Palestinian refugees
24 September 2003
The main United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees today protested to Israel over its raid on a UN-run hospital in the West Bank town of Qalqilya, calling it a “serious breach” of international law and charging that Irsaeli troops made medical staff leave their patients and lie on the hospital floor. Read more about UN agency protests against Israeli raid on West Bank hospital
21 September 2003
Peter Hansen, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has made a call for a just solution to the long-running Palestine refugee problem in order that the refugees can fulfill their human potential. Read more about The curse of statelessness – The plight of Palestinian refugees
15 September 2003
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) today handed over 83 new shelters to families from Khan Younis refugee camp in the south of the Gaza Strip. The new development will allow UNRWA to re-house some of those whose shelters have been destroyed by Israeli forces during the last three years. Read more about New shelters for Khan Younis homeless
15 July 2003
UNRWA carried out field visits to examine the effects of the barrier on the livelihoods of local residents, with special emphasis on registered refugees. Most of the northern Green Line towns and villages accommodate refugee families. Certain villages, in particular - Atil, Baqa esh-Sharqiya, Barta’a esh-Sharqiya, Taibeh, Rumana and Zububa - contain significant, even majority, refugee populations. Qalqiliya town, contains 4,000 refugee families, the UNRWA hospital and other facilities, and will be hermetically sealed. Read more about Special report on the West Bank security barrier
11 June 2003
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has today protested to the Israeli Government at the actions of its security services that prevented the entire headquarters management of the Agency from leaving the Gaza Strip to attend a high-level meeting. Read more about Israel prevents UNRWA management from meeting
19 May 2003
On 11 May 2003, the Israeli authorities closed the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip in both directions for internationals, except for holders of diplomatic visas or passports. The closure affects virtually all international staff of United Nations organisations, NGOs and other humanitarian and development agencies. Read more about 18 UN agencies and NGOs protest Gaza closure
7 May 2003
The total number of Palestinians made homeless by Israeli’s military demolition campaign climbed above 12,000 this month following a rapid acceleration of the policy in Gaza during the first quarter of this year. Read more about House demolitions hit 12,700 in West Bank and Gaza Strip
3 April 2003
In the early morning on 2 April, Israeli military forces broke into and occupied a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)’s girls’ school in Tulkarem refugee camp in the West Bank, and proceeded to use the school as a detention centre for male residents of the camp between the ages of 15 and 40. Read more about Israeli military forcefully occupies UNRWA school
10 March 2003
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is to protest to the Government of Israel at the wanton damage done to one of its schools during Israel’s weekend occupation of part of Beit Lahia in the Northern Gaza Strip. Read more about UNRWA school in Beit Lahia damaged by Israeli military