Canada's funding for UNRWA will resume: Minister
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Canada's Minister of International Development announced that his country will resume funding to UNRWA because of the dire humanitarian situation on the ground.
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Palestinian children who fled with their parents from their houses in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh, gather in the backyard of an UNRWA school, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
Canada announced on Friday it will resume funding for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, more than a month after suspending it in line with about 15 other countries.
Canada was among the countries that suspended funding to the agency following unverified Israeli claims about a dozen UNRWA employees allegedly taking part in the Palestinian Resistance's operation on October 7.
"I'm announcing that Canada's funding for UNRWA will resume," Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen told reporters.
"We're resuming funding to UNRWA because of the dire humanitarian situation on the ground," he explained, noting that Canada was the first G7 nation to resume funding.
After the Israeli accusations, the UN fired the accused employees and launched an internal investigation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also tasked an independent group with evaluating UNRWA and its neutrality.
Phillipe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, has reiterated that "Israel" provided no evidence against the accused agency employees.
Canada has reviewed the investigation's interim report and "we were reassured by the contents," Hussen said.
He also announced that Ottawa will partner with Jordan and the World Food Programme (WFP) to conduct airdrops in Gaza to deliver desperately needed food and other essentials.
"We're looking at a serious risk of mass starvation in parts of Gaza, particularly in the north," he warned.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) previously reported that Canada had not seen evidence supporting the Israeli allegations against the employees when making the initial decision.
The announcement deals a blow to the Israeli occupation have been endlessly trying to demonize the Palestinian refugee agency in order to dismantle it.
On Monday, "Israel's" ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan claimed that UNRWA's work in Gaza was over, calling for the defunding and dismantling of the organization and accusing its staff of taking part in the October 7 events.
He stressed that the agency will "never again operate in Gaza," citing that its role is "finished and it must be replaced."
"UNRWA must be defunded and dismantled," he added.
