The Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) exchange views with Filippo GRANDI, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA, in the European Parliament in Brussels. He also meets with the Jerzy BUZEK, EP President .

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

exchange of views

EU - Palestine (T)

BUZEK, Jerzy (EPP, PL)

UNRWA

GRANDI, Filippo (IT)

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA): extracts from the exchange of views with Filippo GRANDI, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA

Jerzy BUZEK, EP President, meets with Filippo GRANDI, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA

Arrival of Filippo GRANDI to the AFET Committee

SOUNDBITE (English), Filippo GRANDI, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA, The important part of our work is the opportunities that we give, I like to say that the main opportunity that we give to refugees is education, or through education. In a region exposed to many political trends, some of them worrying, it is very important that education is channelled through our schools to children, through an educational system that is founded on United Nations values.

SOUNDBITE (English), Filippo GRANDI, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA, Besides any political judgement, occupation in developmental terms is the antithesis of human development; is a situation where opportunities are very difficult to give... it represents for us, and for the people that we serve, one of the main difficulties.

SOUNDBITE (English), Filippo GRANDI, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA, We have some doubts about the legality of some of the policies that have been prevailing in order to maintain Gaza in a situation of blockade; also we have doubts about the effectiveness of this blockade, we respect the security concerns of the state of Israel, but we always say to our Israeli interlocutors that 'is the blockade the best way to address the security concerns, legitimate as they may be?

SOUNDBITE (English), Filippo GRANDI, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA, The reconstruction of Gaza is not going to be a small operation, is going to be a colossal operation over many years that will require full access to the Gaza strip. Unfortunately this full access does not exist.

SOUNDBITE (English), Filippo GRANDI, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA, As we wait for the legal crossings to be open, don't forget that there is a huge illegal economy controlled by speculators and profiteers, people that have no interest in peace and stability; they are the ones becoming rich out of this situation of blockade. This is the real risk in the long term for the Gaza strip, for Israel and for the entire region.