The staff of the United Nations in Beirut observed a minute of silence on Tuesday 13 January 2009 for all those who lost their lives in the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip, and for the brave UN staff still working in the area.
A plenary meeting was held at the UN House, Beirut organized by the Staff Councils of UN Development Program (UNDP), UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Children Fund (UNICEF), UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA), International Labor Organization (ILO) and UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The meeting was aimed at expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza amid the ongoing violence. The UN lost two UNRWA staff in Gaza, while a number of students sheltering in UNRWA schools had been killed as a result of the conflict.
Speakers at the meeting included UNRWA Director in Lebanon Salvatore Lombardo, UNRWA Deputy Director Roger Davies, ILO Programme Officer and Chief of ILO Staff Union Committee in Beirut Rabia Jalloul, as well as representatives of the staff council and UN staff.
Representatives of staff in UN agencies addressed a memorandum to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in which they expressed support for his efforts, and condemned the brutal atrocities committed in the Gaza Strip that have to date claimed the lives of more than 1,000 Palestinians and more than 4,500 injured, mostly civilians, 50 per cent of whom are women and children.
“UN and international efforts at development in Gaza have been dashed by enormous destruction that will take years, if not decades, to recover from. The level of destruction to the infra-structure that supports Palestinian livelihood in Gaza is unconscionable,” the memo read.
“We are all bound by the UN Charter and commitment to human rights and humanitarian principles, and are responsible to stand up for the inherent dignity of all human beings, and to promote human rights, justice, and the protection of the vulnerable everywhere. In addition to the provision of humanitarian assistance, we would like to emphasize the responsibility of the UN to uphold international law, and to prevent impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity,” it added.
The representatives of UN agencies urged the Secretary-General to speak out more forcefully, exert every effort, and to put every pressure on the Israeli Government to cease its attacks on the people of Gaza, and to ensure the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1860, and the Human Rights Council Resolution of 12 January 2009 calling for a fact finding mission to investigate war crimes in Gaza.
UN-ESCWA Executive Secretary, Bader Omar AlDafa, considered that innocent children, women and elderly are being killed in the attacks. “We should announce the wrongdoing that is taking place”, he said.
For his part, Lombardo briefed the participants about the situation in Gaza, saying that there has been no water in Gaza and very little access to electricity for the past 17 days. Lombardo called on the UN staff to say “No” to what is happening in Gaza at the humanitarian level and to support UNRWA colleagues there.

It is worth mentioning that staff unions launched a donation campaign to raise funds for humanitarian aid intended for Gaza. The collection boxes have been set up in each agency: UNDP, ILO, ESCWA and UNRWA. The collection period for funds ends on Friday January 30th, 2009.