UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed today that there is no alternative to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), noting that 118 countries that support it see it as indispensable in light of Israeli efforts to dismantle it. "My appeal to everyone is this: Protect UNRWA, protect UNRWA staff, and protect UNRWA's mandate -- including through funding," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a pledging conference at the UN headquarters in New York aimed at increasing contributions to the Agency. He explained that the UN agency is also being targeted through other means, as its employees are subjected to increasingly violent protests, disinformation campaigns and malicious media blackout, noting that Israeli security forces have arrested some of them, and reports have emerged of their mistreatment and torture. Guterres also stated that UNRWA employees in the West Bank and their movements are highly restricted by the Israeli authorities, noting that 118 countries ha ve signed a joint commitment to support and enhance financial and political support for UNRWA. Relatedly, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour said in his speech before the conference that Palestinians are not lesser human beings, adding that they deserve the same rights, respect and consideration. It is worth noting that UNRWA has been facing restrictions from several parties, prompting it to issue warnings that if the suspension of granted funds continues, it will be unable to carry on its operations in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, or the three other countries in the region where it currently operates. Source: Qatar News Agency