Israel Bans UNRWA: What is the future for Palestinian refugees?

02/10/25 • 19 min

As Israel pushes to dismantle UNRWA, hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees face an uncertain future. In this episode, we visit Al Jalazon refugee camp to hear from Mahfouz Safi, whose family was forcibly expelled from Beit Nabala in 1948 by Zionist militias. Through his story—and the voices of his sister, Jihad, we uncover the far-reaching impact of Israel’s crackdown on the agency that has provided education, healthcare, and aid to millions for over seven decades. As we explore the history of displacement and the role of UNRWA, two questions emerge: What’s at stake if UNRWA disappears? And who will step in when an entire population is left without support? Please note that the voices you will hear are not those of Jihad and Safi. Our interviews with them were conducted in Arabic. To make their powerful stories accessible to a wider audience, we have translated and rerecorded their words using English-speaking voice actors.Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu

Previous Episode

Ceasefire in Gaza: Israel Continues to Kill Palestinians

As the ceasefire in Gaza goes into effect, the Israeli army has launched widespread attacks against the West Bank. In this episode of “This is Palestine,” host Diana Buttu speaks with IMEU’s Sarah Abu Alrob about the ceasefire agreement breaking down what is means for Palestinians. The episode also delves into the Trump’s administration's actions giving Israel the green light to fully illegally annex the West Bank.Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu

Next Episode

This is the Story of Dr. Husam Abu Safiya

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a renowned and beloved Palestinian pediatrician and director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, has been illegally held captive and tortured by the Israeli army for more than 59 days. On December 27, 2024, the Israeli army kidnapped Dr. Abu Safyia while burning and besieging the Kamal Adwan Hospital. In this episode, we hear testimonies from the family of Dr. Abu Safiya, including his wife Ms. Albina Abu Safiya, and their son Elias Abu Safiya, who speak about the horrifying Israeli military attacks leading to Israel kidnapping the beloved doctor. We also hear from Khaled Mahajneh, a Palestinian human rights attorney who has represented Palestinians from Gaza held captive by Israel. Khaled speaks to us about Israel’s rampant abuse and torture of Palestinians held captive by Israel in prisons such as Sde Teiman and Ofer, both where Dr. Abu Safiya has been held. Currently, there are hundreds of Palestinian medical workers being unjustly held captive by Israel along with Dr.Abu Safiya, including Dr. Ahmed Muhanna, a prominent doctor and director of the Al-Awda Hospital in Gaza. At least three Palestinian doctors have died while being held captive by Israel since September 2024, including prominent orthopedic surgeon Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh, who was tortured and died during his time held captive by the Israeli military in May 2024. Dr. Abu Safiya’s family and leading human rights groups continue to call for Israel to immediately release Dr. Abu Safiya and all Palestinian medical workers held captive and subjected to Israel’s abuse. Please note that the voices you will hear are not those of Albina, Elias and Khaled. Our interviews with them were conducted in Arabic. To make their powerful stories accessible to a wider audience, we have translated and rerecorded their words using English-speaking voice actors.Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu