US funding halt deepens UN agency cash crunch
EU URGES WASHINGTON TO RECONSIDER ITS ‘REGRETTABLE’ DECISION
Palestinians reacted angrily yesterday to a US decision to end all funding for the UN agency that assists three million needy refugees, seeing it as a new policy shift aimed at undermining their cause.
Washington announced on Friday that it would no longer make any contributions to the “irredeemably flawed operation.” The US, by far UN Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) biggest donor, slashed funding earlier this year, paying out only $60 million of a first installment in January, and withholding $65 million. It had promised $365 million for the whole year.
The announcement has deepened a cash crisis at the agency, and heightened tensions with Palestinian leadership. UNRWA now faces the threat of major closures to its network of schools and health centres.
The 68-year-old UNRWA provides services to about 5 million Palestinian refugees across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank and Gaza.
In Gaza, Nashat Abu Al Oun, a refugee and father of eight, said: “The situation is bad and it will become worse... People can hardly afford living these days and if they became unable to earn their living they will begin thinking of unlawful things.”
The US decision is regretful and complicates the thorny dossier of refugees in terms of its humanitarian and political dimensions.” Anwar Gargash | UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
The European Union urged the US to reconsider “its regrettable decision” to halt the funding.
Dr. Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said: “The US decision to halt UNRWA funding is regretful and complicates the thorny dossier of refugees, in terms of its humanitarian and political dimensions,” he wrote on his official Twitter account. “We cannot but reaffirm the UAE’s historical commitment to supporting the UN refugee agency and its humanitarian work,” he added.
Palestinian refugees reacted with dismay yesterday to a United States decision to halt funding to a UN agency, warning that it would lead to more poverty, anger and instability in the Middle East.
The US announcement on Friday that it will no longer support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has deepened a cash crisis at the agency, and heightened tensions with Palestinian leadership.
The 68-year-old UNRWA provides services to about five million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank and Gaza. Most are descendants of the roughly 700,000 Palestinians who were driven out of their homes or fled the fighting in the 1948 war that led to Israel’s creation.
In Gaza, Nashat Abu Al Oun, a refugee and father of eight, said: “The situation is bad and it will become worse ... People can hardly afford living these days and if they became unable to earn their living they will begin thinking of unlawful things.”
UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said the agency provides health clinics, schooling for 526,000 refugee children across Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, and food assistance to 1.7 million people. It will now ask existing donors for more money, and seek new income.
“Our funding gap is $217 million ... so although we have opened up our schools just this week, we have made it clear that we only have money until the end of September,” he said.
Biggest donor
The United States, by far UNRWA’s biggest donor, slashed funding earlier this year, paying out only $60 million of a first instalment in January, and withholding $65 million. It had promised $365 million for the whole year.
Washington called on the Palestinians to renew peace talks with Israel. The last Palestinian-Israeli peace talks collapsed in 2014, partly because of Israel’s opposition to an attempted unity pact between the Fatah and Hamas Palestinian factions and to Israeli colony building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli government to the decision by US President Donald Trump’s administration, which was issued during the Jewish sabbath.
But it was welcomed by some Israelis.