Interviews, commentary and coverage
Between October 2023 and March 2026 Philippe Lazzarini spoke to broadcast and print media almost daily. What follows is a selection of the substantial, archived pieces.
PRESS
Op-eds & signed commentary
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02 Oct 2026 | Le Temps: “Si j’avais démissionné, j’aurais offert cette victoire sur un plateau”: Philippe Lazzarini raconte son combat à l’UNRWA
25 Sep 2026 | AP News: Exclusive: Board of Peace quietly met with UNRWA, ex-agency chief says
21 Mar 2026 | The Guardian: Farewell op-ed on the collapse of UNRWA and the peril facing international law
19 Feb 2026 | Aljazeera: “Centre stage” with Mohamed Hassan
18 Feb 2026 | France24: With Marc Perelman, “Tête à tête"
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10 Nov 2025 | The Guardian: Unrwa has the capacity and expertise to support a postwar Gaza. We want to help make this peace work
13 May 2025 | BBC: With Jeremy Bowen
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20 Dec 2024 | The Guardian: UNRWA may be forced to stop saving lives in Gaza. Will the world let that happen?
15 Dec 2024 | Aljazeera: Talk with James Bays
Oct 2024 | The Economist: The blows to humanitarian law in Gaza harm us all (By Invitation)
13 Sep 2024 | BBC: HARDtalk with Stephen Sacker
30 May 2024 | The New York Times: UNRWA: Stop Israel’s Violent Campaign Against Us
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09 Dec 2023 | Los Angeles Times: We must prevent humanitarian aid from being used as a weapon of war
01 Dec 2023 | BBC: HARDtalk with Stephen Sacker
08 Nov 2023 | The Washington Post: The carnage must stop. Time for a ceasefire in Gaza
26 Oct 2023 | The Guardian: I run the UN agency for Palestine Refugees. History will judge us all if there is no ceasefire in Gaza
19 Oct 2023 | BBC: With Jeremy Bowen
17 Oct 2023 | Financial Times: Humanity must prevail in Gaza (with Martin Griffiths)
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17 Jun 2016 | The Daily Star: (Lebanon): Time to revitalize Lebanon’s economy
25 Apr 2016 | L’Orient-Le Jour: Les leçons apprises du Liban au Sommet mondial sur l’action humanitaire
28 Jan 2016 | The Daily Star (Lebanon): Pulling Lebanon back from the edge of the crisis
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19 Aug 2015 | The Daily Star (Lebanon): Lebanon’s silent heroes
Interviews
Between October 2023 and March 2026 Philippe Lazzarini appeared in broadcast and print media on a near-daily basis at peak periods. What is listed below is a set of interviews that are individually archived, dated and linkable.
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02 Apr 2026 | The New Humanitarian: Rethinking Humanitarianism: exit talk, with Tammam Aloudat
01 Apr 2026 | RTS: La Matinale, exit reflections
31 Mar 2026 | Al Jazeera: Empty Eyes at the School Gate, long-form exit interview
31 Mar 2026 | UN News (French): Feature interview on leaving UNRWA
30 Mar 2026 | UN Geneva/UNTV: Final filmed interview
23 Mar 2026 | RTS: 19h30, on Switzerland’s posture and the future of UNRWA
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22 Sep 2025 | BBC News: On recognition of a Palestinian State, at the margins of UNGA80
21 Aug 2025 | Swiss Press Club/SWI swissinfo: Remarks announcing he would not seek a third term
3 Jul 2025 | CNN: Connect the World, with Becky Anderson
01 Jun 2025 | Middle East Eye: Expert Witness, with Sondos Asem
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14 Nov 2024 | UN News: Interview with Ian Phillips on UNRWA’s irreplaceability
24 Sep 2024 | UN News: UNGA79 margins interview
Aug 2024 | Education Cannot Wait: Written interview on children and education in Gaza
10 May 2024 | United Nations: Awake at Night, S9 E1, The Human Cost of War, with Melissa Fleming (recorded 22 Apr)
10 Apr 2024 | France 24: Thirty days to save UNRWA, documentary following him
28 Feb 2024 | CNN: Amanpour, with Christiane Amanpour
15 Feb 2024 | Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Interview on the neutrality allegations and why he would not resign
13 Feb 2024 | PassBlue: UNRWA’s Boss Says Lifesaving Aid to Gazan Civilians Could Stall Soon, with Damilola Banjo
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13 Dec 2023 | Al Jazeera: Talk to Al Jazeera, with James Bays
10 Dec 2023 ! Al Jazeera: Live from the Doha Forum
30 Nov 2023 | BBC: HARDtalk, with Stephen Sackur
26 Nov 2023 | CBS News: Face the Nation, with Margaret Brennan
02 Nov 2023 | CNN: Amanpour, with Christiane Amanpour
24 Oct 2023 | SWI swissinfo: Now more than ever, we need a humanitarian ceasefire
19 Oct 2023 | BBC News: The world is losing its humanity
20 Apr 2023 | SWI swissinfo: We can no longer maintain the status quo
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15 Jan 2016 | As-Safir: On placing Lebanon’s needs on the global agenda
30 Sep 2015 | Annahar: Interview on World Bank financing for Lebanon
22 Oct 2014 | OCHA: Somalia: Early warning should trigger early action (video)
Coverage (mentions)
The list below covers the pieces that are substantively about Philippe or about his tenure, rather than passing quotations.
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25 Jun 2026 (upd.) | Geneva Solutions: In survival mode, UNRWA awaits outcome of leadership change
01 Apr 2026 | JNS: United Nations in wait-and-see mode for UNRWA, after Philippe Lazzarini steps down as head (critical coverage, Israeli and US official reactions)
30 Mar 2026 | SWI swissinfo: Outgoing UNRWA head accuses Switzerland of passivity in Middle East conflict
30 Mar 2026 | Le Temps: Alors que Philippe Lazzarini s’en va, l’UNRWA s’interroge sur son avenir et sa gouvernance
23 Mar 2026 | Le Courrier: Philippe Lazzarini quitte l’UNRWA à la fin de la semaine
22 Mar 2026 | Greatreporter: Philippe Lazzarini’s Final Warning: How the World Allowed UNRWA to Be Destroyed
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22 Aug 2025 | SWI swissinfo: UNRWA boss Lazzarini to step down in March 2026
22 Aug 2025 | RTS: Philippe Lazzarini quittera la tête de l’UNRWA en mars 2026, with reaction from Carlo Sommaruga
Feb 2025 | Responsible Statecraft: Munich Dispatch: Gaza issue banished to the sidelines this year
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19 Dec 2024 | SWI swissinfo: Switzerland’s deliberations on ending UNRWA funding
26 Jun 2024 | Associated Press: Israelis’ lawsuit says UN agency helps Hamas by paying Gaza staff in dollars
24 Jun 2024 | Reuters: UNRWA is sued by Israeli victims of Oct. 7 Hamas attack
9 Feb 2024 | ABC News: Israel is holding up food for 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza, the main UN aid agency there says
Feb 2024 | The New Arab: UNRWA and Lazzarini named on an unofficial Nobel Peace Prize shortlist
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16 Nov 2023 | Reuters: UN Palestinian agency says Gaza operations being deliberately strangle
30 Oct 2023 | VOA News: UNRWA Chief: Gaza Cease-Fire Matter of Life and Death for Millions