On April 23, 2024, a meeting was held between H.E. Ambassador Paul Beresford-Hill, alongside H.E. Ambassador Michèle Bowe, and the esteemed H.E. Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency For Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Mr. Philippe Lazzarini. This pivotal encounter served as a platform for a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted challenges affecting the Palestinian populace, coupled with an effort to delineate collaborative strategies aimed at addressing these pressing issues.

Philippe Lazzarini, a Swiss national, assumed the role of Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in March 2020. With over three decades of experience in humanitarian aid and international coordination, garnered from his tenure with organizations like the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the private sector, Lazzarini brought a wealth of expertise to his position as a Commissioner-General. Prior to his appointment, he served as Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident, and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon in the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) since 2015, following previous roles including Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident, and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. Lazzarini’s extensive United Nations career began in 2003, encompassing responsibilities such as Deputy Director in the Coordination and Response Division of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Head of the OCHA Office for the occupied Palestinian territory, Somalia, and Angola, and Area Coordinator for the OCHA Office in Iraq. Prior to his UN tenure, he worked in the private sector, notably as Head of Marketing for Union Bancaire Privée, Geneva, and spent a decade with the ICRC in diverse roles, including Deputy Head of Communication and Head of ICRC Delegations in conflict zones like Rwanda, Angola, and Sarajevo, as well as field assignments in Southern Sudan, Jordan, Gaza, and Beirut.

At the outset of the meeting, Ambassador Beresford-Hill set the tone by sharing the remarkable initiatives conducted by the Sovereign Order of Malta, with particular emphasis on the Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem. He underscored the hospital’s emblematic status as a signal of hope within the region, tirelessly providing essential healthcare services to the community. In an emotional exchange, Mr. Lazzarini reciprocated with a heartfelt personal anecdote, recounting the birth of his oldest daughter at the Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem in 2009. Building upon this foundation, Ambassador Bowe provided invaluable insights into the Hospital’s initiatives, notably highlighting its scholarship program designed to empower underprivileged girls to pursue training programs and careers as doctors and nurses.

Mr. Lazzarini then painted a sobering picture of the current landscape, describing it as a tragic departure from the norm. He highlighted the escalating instability in the West Bank and the dire conditions gripping Gaza, emphasizing the proliferation of hate and societal division. Central to his concerns was the preservation of UNRWA’s operations, deemed crucial given the unfolding circumstances, and he stressed the imperative of safeguarding its operations amidst ongoing negotiations.

Furthermore, Ambassador Beresford-Hill and Mr. Lazzarini discussed the plight of orphans in Gaza and the absence of educational opportunities for Palestinian children. They underscored the urgent need for trauma-informed care and educational support to mitigate the profound impact of conflict on these vulnerable populations. In his concluding remarks, Mr. Lazzarini emphasized the urgency of proactive measures, metaphorically expressing “the need to shake the tree” to address the multifaceted humanitarian challenges confronting the region. Despite the formidable obstacles, the meeting concluded on a note of shared commitment to alleviate suffering and promote stability, underscoring the unwavering dedication of both the Order of Malta and UNRWA to the cause.