2024-01-27 20:14:19
The Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, thanked this Saturday the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia and Finland for suspending their financing for the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), due to the alleged collusion of several members of the organization with the Islamist group Hamas.
“I call for more nations to come together. UNRWA’s ties to Hamas, providing shelter to terrorists and perpetuating its rule are undeniable. UNRWA leaders must be removed and thoroughly investigated,” Katz said via a statement.
Israel claims that a dozen UNRWA workers participated in the attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, which included the launching of thousands of rockets and the simultaneous infiltration of militiamen who massacred some 1,200 people and they kidnapped another 250 in Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip.
“We have been warning for years: UNRWA perpetuates the refugee issue, obstructs peace and serves as the civilian arm of Hamas in Gaza,” Katz said, stressing that he will personally work to promote a policy that ensures that UNRWA is not part of the operation in the Strip once the war ended.
“We will work to build bipartisan support in the United States, the European Union and other nations globally for this policy to stop UNRWA activities in Gaza,” he explained.
UNRWA yesterday announced the immediate dismissal of several members of its staffand the initiation of an investigation “to establish the truth” and “to protect the agency’s ability to provide assistance” in Gaza, where 85% of the population (1.9 million Palestinians) is displaced and experiencing a crisis unprecedented humanitarian
The United States, Israel’s main partner and arms supplier, said it was “extremely concerned” by the accusations against UNRWA and was the first country to temporarily suspend funding to the agency while it investigates and determines the measures the United Nations will take. .
However, the United States acknowledged that the agency has so far played “a critical role” in providing assistance to Palestinians, such as food and medicine, and has “saved lives.”
For its part, the Palestinian National Authority, which governs small parts of the occupied West Bank, criticized countries that suspended their funding to UNRWA before the investigation was even carried out.
Furthermore, he estimates that, even if it is confirmed that some UNRWA workers cooperated with Hamas, The organization or its humanitarian missions should not be harmed, since the conduct of a group of employees “does not reflect the policy, directives and instructions of its officials.”nor the credibility of the organization’s work in the service of Palestinian refugees.
With more than 30,000 employees, UNRWA is the largest organization in Gaza outside the Government of the Strip, which has been de facto controlled by Hamas since 2007.
The Israeli offensive has left more than 26,257 dead and 64,797 injured in the Palestinian enclave, while survivors face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
Under the rains and frosts of winter, thousands of families with children and the elderly live in plastic tents outdoors.amid the outbreak of epidemics and the collapse of hospitals, in addition to the persistent shortage of drinking water, food, medicine and electricity.
#Israel #countries #suspending #funding #UNRWA