The United Nations company for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), thought of a lifeline for 2 million individuals within the besieged enclave, has suffered funding cuts after a number of of its workers have been accused by Israel of involvement within the October 7 Hamas assault.
The UN on Saturday stated that it had terminated 9 out of 12 workers over the allegations and vowed to carry its workers accountable, however expressed its shock on the swift funding reduce by a number of Western international locations amid a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which has been devastated by practically 4 months of Israel’s aerial and floor conflict.
“It might be immensely irresponsible to sanction an Company and a whole neighborhood it serves due to allegations of felony acts in opposition to some people, particularly at a time of conflict, displacement and political crises within the area,” Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA chief, stated in an announcement on Saturday.
The UN and Palestinian officers have called for continued funding for the company’s “essential work” for the reason that announcement of the claims on Friday.
Here’s what you want to know concerning the controversy.
What’s UNRWA and who funds it?
The acronym stands for the United Nations Aid and Works Company for Palestine Refugees within the Close to East. It was established in 1949 to cater to tens of 1000’s of Palestinians ethnically cleansed from their houses by Jewish militias from areas that presently kind a part of Israel.
The UN company operates within the occupied West Financial institution, East Jerusalem and Gaza, in addition to in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria – the neighbouring international locations the place the Palestinian refugees took shelter after their violent expulsion referred to as the Nakba or disaster.
In response to its web site, the UN company helps the reduction and human growth of Palestinian refugees, working in quite a few areas.
Examples of those fields are main and vocational training, main healthcare, reduction and social providers, infrastructure and camp enchancment, microfinance, and emergency response.
The company is funded virtually solely by voluntary contributions aside from a restricted subsidy from the UN, which is used solely for administrative prices, in line with UNRWA.
The work of UNRWA couldn’t be carried out with out sustained contributions from international locations worldwide and the European Union, which represented 94.9 % of all contributions in 2022, the company says.
In 2022, 44.3 % of the company’s complete pledges, or $1.17bn, got here from the EU member states, who contributed $520.3m, together with funds allotted by the establishment through the European Fee.
The USA, Germany, the EU and Sweden have been the biggest particular person donors within the 12 months in query, contributing 61.4 % of the company’s general funding in complete.
Chris Gunness, a former UNRWA spokesman, stated the UN company has weeks solely earlier than it runs out of cash for its essential assist work to avoid wasting Palestinian lives in Gaza. Greater than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive on October 7.
“My message to the Arab world, notably to the Gulf, is the place are you? As a result of they’re making billions every day on oil revenues. A tiny fraction of these oil revenues would see UNRWA’s monetary issues disappear in a single day. This unconscionable hole inflicted by these Western international locations can be stuffed in a short time,” Gunness informed Al Jazeera.
“Among the most determined individuals within the Center East are actually going through hunger, they’re going through famine, and the Arab states must step as much as the plate.”
What are Israel’s allegations in opposition to UNRWA workers?
The UNRWA stated on Friday that the Israeli authorities have supplied the company with details about the alleged involvement of a number of UNRWA workers within the October 7 assault.
Lazzarini, the top of the UNRWA, stated that he instantly terminated the contracts of those workers members and launched an investigation to ascertain the reality immediately.
The US Division of State stated it was extraordinarily troubled by the allegations, which it stated pertained to 12 UNRWA workers.
The UN company has lengthy been underneath assault from Israel. On Saturday, Israeli International Minister Israel Katz known as on Lazzarini to give up his put up.
“Mr Lazzarini please resign,” Katz wrote on social media platform X in response to the UNRWA chief’s warning over the implications of funding cuts.
Gunness, the previous UNRWA spokesman, stated there’s a “coordinated political assault” on the UN’s company for Palestinian refugees.
“The Israelis have stated they can not win the conflict on Gaza except UNRWA is disbanded. So what clearer sign would you like?” he informed Al Jazeera on Sunday.
How essential is UNRWA and what did UN officers say?
The UNRWA is the biggest humanitarian actor in Gaza and a few 3,000 of its core workers out of 13,000 in Gaza proceed to report back to work regardless of the conflict, in line with the company.
UNRWA’s Lazzarini said two million individuals out of about 2.3 million inhabitants in Gaza rely on the company’s humanitarian operation.
“I’m shocked such choices are taken primarily based on alleged conduct of some people and because the conflict continues, wants are deepening & famine looms,” the UNRWA chief posted on X.
“Palestinians in Gaza didn’t want this extra collective punishment. This stains all of us.”
The UN official added that the company runs shelters for over a million individuals and gives meals and first healthcare even on the height of the hostilities.
In the meantime, UN chief Antonio Guterres stated that the tens of 1000’s of people that work for the UNRWA, many in among the most harmful conditions, shouldn’t be penalised due to the latest allegations.
“The dire wants of the determined populations they serve have to be met,” he stated.
UNRWA lifesaving help is about to finish following international locations choices to chop their funding to the Company.
Our humanitarian operation, on which 2 million individuals rely as a lifeline in Gaza, is collapsing. I’m shocked such choices are taken primarily based on alleged conduct of a…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) January 27, 2024
Which nations have reduce funding for UNRWA? Which haven’t?
The wave of suspensions of funding began with the US on Friday, proper after the investigation was introduced.
Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Finland joined Washington within the final two days.
Eire and Norway, nonetheless, expressed continued assist for UNRWA, saying the company does essential work to assist Palestinians displaced and in determined want of help in Gaza.
“We have to distinguish between what people might have executed, and what UNRWA stands for,” an announcement by Norway’s authorities stated, including the organisation’s tens of 1000’s of workers in Gaza, the West Financial institution, and the area play a “essential position” in distributing assist, saving lives, and safeguarding primary wants and rights.
Irish International Minister Micheal Martin wrote on X: “Eire has no plans to droop funding for UNRWA’s important Gaza work.”
