UN Palestinian aid agency in need of more support

The UAE reaffirmed its funding for the UN agency for Palestinians as the body called for more support to help pay for vital services for more than five million people after the United States cut its allocation.

The UN held a conference to raise money for basic services – from food assistance and medical care to sanitation – in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

After the session, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees spokesman Chris Gunness told the UN was still tallying the sums discussed because some funds raised had already been pledged and others were new. The agency is still trying to make up the shortfall of US$250 million (Dh918m).

In April the UAE pledged $50m to UNRWA and after Monday night’s session Wam quoted Maisoon Al Dah, member of the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, calling on other states to increase their pledges.

UN officials said the United States, the programme’s top donor, gave $364m to the agency last year but only $60m this year. Pierre Krahenbuhl, the agency’s director, said the cut endangered basic services such as food assistance in Gaza and medical clinics in the five areas, while about 500,000 children might not be able to start the school year.

“The situation of Palestinians is defined by great anxiety and uncertainty, first because Palestinian refugees do not see a solution to their plight on the horizon,” he said.

In Gaza, up to two million people are experiencing extreme shortages of water and electricity amid rising tensions between the Palestinians and Israel since President Donald Trump opened a US Embassy in Jerusalem.

His administration announced in January that it was withholding $65m of a planned $125m funding instalment for the relief agency. Mr Trump said he saw no reason to spend so much money in return for “no appreciation or respect” from Palestinians.

Ms Al Dah said that in 2017 and 2018 the UAE had contributed $130m to Palestine through the UN agency.