On June 1, 2024, the Palestinian Forces Coalition — comprised of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, PFLP-GC, As-Sa’iqa, Fatah al-Intifada, Palestinian Liberation Front (Abu Nidal Ashqar wing), Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (Khalid ‘Abd al-Majid wing) and Revolutionary Palestinian Communist Party — announced that their Beirut meeting with the commissioner-general of UNRWA resulted in a deal to end their months-long shutdown of UNRWA offices in Lebanon, after Philippe Lazzarini agreed to drop the agency’s demand for the departure of Fath al-Sharif, the school principal who heads the UNRWA Teachers Union in Lebanon, on grounds of his role as a senior Hamas officials:
Leadership of the Palestinian Forces Coalition in Lebanon, Islamic Forces, Ansar Allah, Popular Committees, and the People of the Camps
Press Release
To our patient and resilient people in Lebanon,
Through your steadfastness, determination, and commitment to peaceful and civilized escalating protest movements in all regions and camps, you have been able to achieve the goals set in confronting the administration of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to dissuade them from unjust decisions against some of our people’s employees based on their national affiliation.
Following the appreciated efforts made by the Lebanese Prime Minister, Mr. Najib Mikati, with the UNRWA Commissioner-General, Mr. Philippe Lazzarini, which led to an understanding on a mechanism to positively resolve the issue of educator Mr. Fathi Sharif, with a commitment not to pursue any employees based on their national affiliation,
We announce the cessation of all protest movements starting Monday, June 3, 2024, while at the same time emphasizing the need for UNRWA’s administration, through its Commissioner-General, to implement the agreed-upon terms as quickly as possible without procrastination, to avoid any future protest movements, which are a natural and legitimate right of our people to defend our rights and just demands, foremost among them national affiliation and the dignity and job security of employees.
We also extend our thanks to all Lebanese brothers, both officials and national parties, who stood with our just rights and legitimate demands.
Together and united for our just cause
Leadership of the Palestinian Forces Coalition in Lebanon, Islamic Forces, Ansar Allah, Popular Committees, and the People of the Camps
Saturday, June 1, 2024
Sources: Amer Saleh, Lebanon Ministry of Information, Toyourelbared, Palestinian Refugees Portal ,
The announcement of the accord followed the meeting between Lazzarini and the terrorist groups on May 29th, as summarized here and here.
(In honor of the visit of Lazzarini, and at the request of the Lebanese prime minister, the terrorist groups had temporarily suspended their shutdown for the week of his visit, until June 2nd. The above deal with Lazzarini finally ended the protests.)
