France also freezes its funds for UNRWA, while Arab countries denounce ‘collective punishment’

follow the wave of funding cuts for UNRWA released yesterday Saturday. The French government has announced this “does not provide” for a new donation of funds for the UN Refugee Agency Palestines during this first half of 2024although he has assured that he will resume his contribution when “all necessary transparency and security requirements are met.”

Paris therefore agrees with what has been decided USA, Canada, Australia, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and Finlandwhich will also not provide any new funding to UNRWA for the duration of the investigation into the alleged involvement of some of its employees in the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.

The French government contributed 60 million euros in 2023 to UNRWA.

Norway And Ireland have stated that they will continue to provide funding to the refugee agency and Spain hasn’t spoken yet.

Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey They condemn UNRWA’s “collective punishment” and call for the funds to be reactivated

Jordan has condemned the “collective punishment” against UNRWA and recalled that the survival of Gazans depends on this organization: “UNRWA is the lifeline of more than two million Palestinians facing hunger in Gaza. It should not be collectively punished for accusations against twelve people out of 13,000 employees,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on his X account.

For this reason, they have urged countries that have suspended their funds to revoke the decision.

In the same way, Egypt And Saudi Arabia have asked that UNRWA’s work be “not restricted” and have also demanded that Israel respect this the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and end its military operation in the Gaza Strip. They have called for an “immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza” and for “an end to the policy of mass punishment” against the residents of the Gaza Strip. They are “surprised” by the decision of the countries that have frozen their assets and have made it clear that “we must wait for the results of the investigation”.

Turkey has also called for the reactivation of the funds.

Abbas says campaign against UNRWA wants to ‘liquidate’ refugee issue

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has denounced that “the Israeli-led campaign to discredit the work of the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) aims to resolve the issue of displaced persons, one of the central issues in 75 years of conflict”.

There are some all over the world 6 million Palestinian refugees – especially in Lebanon, Jordan and within the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip –, and many of them need the humanitarian assistance that UNRWA has provided this since 1948.

In the midst of the war in the Gaza Strip, UNRWA is responsible for distributing the scarce humanitarian aid on which more than two million Palestinians in the enclave depend, almost the entire population, in the worst humanitarian catastrophe the Palestinian people have experienced.

Guterres calls for a transparent investigation and promises that any crimes will be prosecuted.

Both the commissioner of the UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini; as Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterresthey asked for one transparent research about the alleged involvement of its staff in the October 7 attacks; while have demanded that the nine countries that cut the agency’s funding reconsider their position because it could force the end of its activities.

An investigation is already underway by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services, the organization’s top investigative authority; and UNRWA terminated the contracts of its employees suspected of collaborating with Hamas.

Guterres explained that of the twelve named members for their alleged involvement in the Palestinian militia attacks on Israel on October 7, nine were immediately identified and dismissed by UNRWA leadership. One of them is dead and the identities of the remaining two are under investigation.

“Any UN employee involved in acts of terrorism will be held accountable, including through criminal proceedings. The (UN) Secretariat stands ready to cooperate with the relevant authorities to ensure that individuals are prosecuted in accordance with established procedures,” Guterres said in an official statement. .

Guterres has said that “two million civilians in Gaza depend on UNRWA assistance for their daily survival, but the funds currently available to UNRWA will not be able to meet the needs for February”, although he echoed the concerns of the countries that announced the suspension has stressed that “the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA in the most dangerous situations should not be punished.”