All operations to halt by end of Feb. if funding doesn't resume: UNRWA
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Amid an increasing number of countries halting UNRWA funds, the organization declares it is at risk of shutting down by next month.
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Palestinian children from the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh, gather in the backyard of a UNRWA school, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023 (AP)
UNRWA, the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency, stated that if its funding is not resumed, it will not be able to continue operations in Gaza and across the region beyond the end of February.
A spokesperson for the agency announced that “if the funding is not resumed, UNRWA will not be able to continue its services and operations across the region, including in Gaza, beyond the end of February."
This comes as a string of countries including the United States, Germany, and Britain, with many others joining them today, have paused their funding to the aid agency in the wake of allegations that 12 UNRWA staff were involved in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
Most recently, the EU is demanding an “urgent” audit of UNRWA and said it is "reviewing funding." Commission Spokesperson, Eric Mamer, informed journalists that European Commission-appointed experts should take charge of the audit, which, in turn, should be in parallel with a UN investigation into the allegations.
It is important to note that the EU was the agency’s third-largest funder in 2022 following the US and Germany.
Simon Says? More like 'Israel' says
Romania has become the latest country to join the funding cut campaign on UNRWA amid Israeli allegations accusing 12 of its employees of participating in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7.
“We express our full confidence that the UN investigation will clarify the situation as soon as possible,” the Romanian Foreign Ministry stated, adding, “Until the investigation is concluded, the ministry will … not make any new voluntary contributions to UNRWA.”
This morning, Japan and Estonia also joined the list of countries defunding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated on X: “Concerning the recent very serious allegations against UNRWA, Estonia will not continue with the funding of the organization," calling for a "quick and in-depth investigation" of the allegations.
The United States and Canada led the move, and Finland, Australia, Britain, and Italy followed on Saturday, revealing that their countries would suspend funding to UNRWA. They were later joined by Germany on Sunday.
Read more: UN officials slam countries defunding UNRWA, punishing Gaza
It's okay, some countries are still anti-genocide
Today, Saudi Arabia called on key donor countries to UNRWA to continue “supporting humanitarian missions” operating in the Gaza Strip.
“An independent investigation into these allegations shall come up with facts coupled with evidence, especially in light of the sacrifices made by UNRWA workers, (many of whom) were killed and injured as a result of the indiscriminate Israeli bombing of relief homes in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The statement added, “The Kingdom urges all supporters of UNRWA to carry out their role in supporting humanitarian missions towards Palestinian refugees inside the besieged Gaza Strip,” stressing the importance of enabling the agency to continue its work to ensure “the provision of basic requirements for the Palestinians, (and) to mitigate the effects of the humanitarian crisis that is affecting them.”
Earlier on Sunday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the decisions made by a dozen donors of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, to suspend funding.
"Working under very difficult conditions, UNRWA meets the vital needs of millions of Palestine refugees ... The suspension of funding to UNRWA, following allegations against a few UNRWA staff, will primarily harm the Palestinian people," it said in a statement.
In addition, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Nasser Kanaani later condemned Israeli accusations leveled against UNRWA staffers, stating that these charges were part of a broader scheme of Zionist efforts aimed at stifling NGO activities in the Gaza Strip.
He further said the accusations are intended to absolve the regime from the killing of more than 150 NGO employees.
The decision to suspend UNRWA's funding by the countries is deemed regrettable, Kanaani said, while also viewing it as an endorsement of Zionist war crimes that have been substantiated at the ICJ with charges of genocide.
A day earlier on Saturday, Norway's representative office to the Palestinian Authority stated that it will continue to support UNRWA in a statement in which it noted that amid the "catastrophic" situation in Gaza, "UNRWA is the most important humanitarian organization there. Norway continues our support for the Palestinian people through UNRWA. International support for Palestine is needed now more than ever."
