UNRWA heads to Arab world for funds
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Amid the US' decision to halt all UNRWA funding until March 2025, the organization has decided to look for new donors, primarily in the Arab world.
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The Commissioner-General of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Philippe Lazzarini addresses the United Nations Security Council meeting at U.N. Headquarters Wednesday, April 17, 2024 (AP)
UNRWA is now looking for new donors, including Arab nations, to bridge the gap left by the United States and several countries amid their decision to defund the organization.
Earlier this year, "Israel" accused 12 UNRWA staffers of aiding the Resistance in conducting Operation Al Aqsa Flood without providing any proof, prompting some Western countries to immediately suspend aid allocated to its Gaza branch, amid a worsening crisis and an Israeli-induced famine in Gaza.
Countries like Canada and Sweden, as well as the European Union, have since decided to reinstate UNRWA funds. The US, however, insisted on its decision and passed a new spending bill that bans any payments to the organization until March 2025.
According to the agency's head, Philippe Lazzarini, the US' decision stemmed from its personal "domestic policies". “The gap left behind by the US is equivalent to about $180 million when it comes to the core budget, plus an additional $200 million donor when it comes to the emergency appeal,” he told Anadolu in an interview in Geneva.
The organization has opted to encourage current donors to increase their funds and started looking for new ones, mainly in the Arab world. Countries like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Algeria, and Kuwait have been significantly contributing, with Oman and Jordan pitching in.
Spain, Belgium, Norway, and Portugal have additionally declared their intent to boost their funds.
“The domino effect has not been as quick. But it is true that once a group of countries started to review their position, others have followed,” Lazzarini additionally stated, noting that certain donors backed down on their decision, while others like Austria, Switzerland, and the UK, have not made a decision yet.
UN suspends UNRWA probes as 'Israel' fails to provide evidence
This comes despite "Israel's" failure to provide evidence to back its anti-UNRWA allegations. Earlier this week, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, said that five probes into UNRWA staff members alleged by "Israel" to have partaken in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7 were dismissed, as "Israel" failed to provide evidence for its allegations.
Following the commotion that involved 12 UNRWA staffers accused by "Israel" of allegedly aiding Hamas, nine were dismissed, while two were killed during the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
However, the last employee had been under investigation, with Dujarric revealing on Friday that "Israel" has still not provided any evidence to back its allegations, adding that administrative measures were underway to resolve the UNRWA member's case.
Dujarric also stated that other investigations into three additional UNRWA employees were dismissed due to the absence of any evidence provided by "Israel".
Seven new probes were additionally launched against more employees, but one was suspended amid 'Israel's" failure to provide evidence that would implicate the accused.
A preliminary report released in March indicated that "UNRWA has established numerous mechanisms and protocols to uphold compliance with the Humanitarian Principle of neutrality." However, the investigators also highlighted "key areas that require urgent attention" in the same report.
UNRWA does not plan on taking legal action against 'Israel'
Regarding the damage "Israel" has inflicted, which entailed the killings of at least 182 UNRWA employees and the destruction of 160 buildings, Lazzarini stated that UNRWA would not take legal action against the occupation but called on the international community to fulfill its role of holding it accountable for its crimes.
“There have already been statements from member states in New York or at the Security Council, indicating that, indeed, we need to seek accountability for these blatant violations. So, there is an interest from a number of member states.”
He also noted that the anti-UNRWA campaign is expected to proceed as part of "Israelo's" plan to annihilate Palestinians, stating that calling for the disintegration of the organization is disguised in the actual Israeli objective to strip Palestinians of their refugee status.
Lazzarini said this serves the bigger picture, which seeks to obstruct any possibility of the "two-state solution".
