6 Countries Cut Funding to Palestinian Refugee Agency, UNRWA

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of countries have stopped aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), following allegations that some of its workers participated in the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel.

UNRWA was established to provide aid to Palestinians who fled or were expelled from what is now Israel during the 1948 war. It also provides education, health, and other assistance to refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. It serves about two-thirds of Gaza's 2.3 million people and played a crucial role in distributing aid during the war.

Here is a list of countries that have suspended funding to UNRWA:

1. The United Kingdom

2.I taly

3. Finland

4. United States

5. Australia

6. Canada

These countries cut off their funding to UNRWA on Saturday, January 27, after Israel said 12 of the agency's employees were involved in the cross-border attack. The investigation is still ongoing.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry censured the countries’ decision, calling it an Israeli campaign against UNRWA. Meanwhile, Hamas condemned the dismissal of UNRWA employees which was based solely on information issued by Israel.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on the countries that have suspended funding to UNRWA to reconsider their decisions and pledged to hold accountable any UN employee involved in acts of terror against Israel.

“Any UN employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution,” Guterres said in a statement. “The Secretariat is ready to cooperate with a competent authority able to prosecute the individuals in line with the Secretariat’s normal procedures for such cooperation.”

Earlier reports suggested that more countries have paused their funding to UNRWA, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

SUCI SEKARWATI

Editor's Choice: Top 8 Countries with Largest Nickel Reserves in the World

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News