Germany to fund UNRWA offices with $48mln, Gaza excluded
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UNRWA offices in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and the West Bank of occupied Palestine will be supported with funds of over $48 million by German Federal Ministries.
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Israeli occupation forces take up position as they enter the UNRWA headquarters in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, Thursday, February 8, 2024. (AP)
The German government announced a $48.7 million fund for UNRWA offices in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and the West Bank of occupied Palestine.
According to a joint statement by the Federal Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Development Cooperation, and Economic Cooperation, these funds will be provided for the above-mentioned offices, specifically, to be able to continue their work in the region. This explicitly shows an exclusion of funds for UNRWA in the Gaza Strip.
Gemeinsam mit @AuswaertigesAmt stellen wir 45 Mio Euro für @UNRWA in Jordanien, Libanon, Syrien und im Westjordanland zur Verfügung. Damit unterstützen wir Gesundheits- und Bildungsleistungen sowie "Cash for Work"-Programme für Palästina-Flüchtlinge.
— Bundesentwicklungsministerium (@BMZ_Bund) March 25, 2024
Zur gemeinsamen Erklärung 👇
Germany was among the countries that stopped regular support for UNRWA after "Israel" made unsubstantiated claims that some of the agency's members were involved in supporting the Palestinian Resistance, Hamas.
US $1.2tln bill examined: UN agencies funding cut, ‘Israel’ aid passed
The double standards continue to shine in the US Congress after it overwhelmingly passed a $1.2 trillion budget bill, which not only included a ban on UNRWA funding until 2025 and stopped funding the UN Commission of Inquiry against "Israel" but also funneled the money instead toward the annual US security commitment of $3.3 billion for "Israel's" weapon supplies.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz took to X to obviously praise the US for its decision.
"The historic ban on US funding to UNRWA that passed today with an overwhelming bipartisan support, demonstrates what we knew all along: UNRWA is part of the problem and can not be part of the solution. UNRWA will not be a part of Gaza's landscape in the aftermath of Hamas," he said.
"I urge more countries to follow the US and ban funding to this organization. Thank you @SpeakerJohnson, @RepJeffries @SenSchumer @LeaderMcConnell for your leadership and continued bipartisan support of Israel during our just war against Hamas murderous terrorist regime," he added.
The UN and other international organizations funded in the bill are told to assess and report on attempts to combat anti-"Israel" bias. To examine personnel for alleged connections to terrorist groups, the bill withholds funds from the UN Human Rights Council for what it calls anti-"Israel" actions.
New terms on any assistance to Gaza are also included in the bill, such as coordination with "Israel", prevention of diversion to the Palestinian Resistance, and a requirement for third-party monitoring, according to the House Republicans on the Appropriations Committee.
Many representatives did not view the bill positively as their peers.
"Despite the many good provisions included in the bill, I could not support the bill’s unconscionable elimination of humanitarian assistance for 2 million people facing imminent starvation and death because of Israel’s war against Hamas," Rep. Andre Carson posted Friday on X.
Carson asserted he will be collaborating with colleagues to restore UNRWA funding and demand a permanent ceasefire.
Read more: URNWA chief outraged by Israeli ban of food convoys to North Gaza
