Ireland pledges $21.46 mln for UNRWA amid global defunding

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Feb 2024 16:45
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Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin meets UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini and announces that Ireland will support UNRWA with over $20 million.

Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin and UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini in Dublin, Ireland, on February 15, 2024. (Social media)

In support of the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA), Ireland announced that it will pledge $21.46 million and called on countries, including the United States, to resume and increase funding for the agency.

"I urge other donors to resume and expand support to UNRWA so that it can deliver for the millions of Palestinian refugees in need," Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said in a statement after meeting UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini in Dublin.

Today I announced €20 million in support for the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), which provides healthcare and other services for those in need, and urged countries that have suspended funding to resume and increase support to the agency. pic.twitter.com/IN9otkr3Y2
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) February 15, 2024

This comes after Lazzarini slammed the calls to dismantle the agency as "short-sighted" amid the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Lazzarini also cautioned member states during a meeting in Geneva on Tuesday against the various calls for the dismantling and termination of UNRWA.

"I have warned about the impact, I have said that these calls are short-sighted," he said. "

"There is no other UN agency or international NGOs that have been assigned over the past two decades to deliver services akin to those of a government, such as education for hundreds of thousands of children," he further added.

Lazzarini contended that Israeli statements regarding the former employees of the agency are merely allegations. He emphasized that the Israeli government did not provide any information or evidence regarding the accusations made against the employees.

Western media dispute Israeli claim of UNRWA involvement on Oct. 7

A number of Western media outlets, earlier in February, have come forward to say that the 'evidence' provided to them by "Israel" regarding UNRWA being affiliated with Hamas and partaking in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7 contains no real evidence that implicates the UN agency.

On January 26, "Israel" accused 12 UNRWA staffers of directly and indirectly aiding the Resistance during Operation Al Aqsa Flood.

As a result, several Western countries led a movement, kickstarted by the United States, to defund the organization until an investigation reveals the accuracy or falsity of the claims, with more countries following.

The claims themselves had no solid foundation, creating conspiracy over whether this was just a ploy to collectively punish Palestinians in Gaza by obstructing the operations of the only organization that provided substantial and great relief amid the brutal Israeli onslaught.