ALBAWABA - In response to claims made by Israel that certain employees were complicit in the October 7 attacks, Australia, Canada, Sweden, and the European Union—all of which had previously halted financial support for UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East—have declared that they will keep supporting the organization.
Since its founding in 1950, UNRWA has been the primary organization offering humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees, including food, health care, education, and shelter. UNRWA is funded by voluntary donations from UN member states.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel's attacks have severely damaged over 150 of the Agency's facilities in Gaza, which is home to the majority of Palestinians, and have claimed the lives of 165 staff.
Israel began a campaign of disinformation against UNRWA, accusing its staff of being involved in the Hamas attack on October 7. As a result, a number of nations stopped giving UNRWA money.
Nonetheless, some nations and the EU have chosen to resume their financial support for UNRWA as a result of Israel's inability to produce proof to back up its accusations and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
European Union: The UN's activities and the promises that UNRWA was asked to provide were mentioned in a written statement released earlier this month by the EU Commission.
In 2024, a further €82 million will be allocated, increasing the total amount of funding to €150 million, according to the announcement. In the past, the EU has said that it would assess whether to keep providing financial support to UNRWA in light of the findings of the UN investigation and the next steps.
Australia: In a news conference, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that the government has given UNRWA AUD 20 million annually and recalled the decision to halt an additional AUD 6 million because of the allegations. Wong said that they had chosen to continue providing financial support to UNRWA after receiving advice from groups and Australian attorneys highlighting the Agency's non-terrorist status.
Canada: On March 8, the country issued a statement announcing the decision to temporarily halt financial support for UNRWA and promising to restart it. The statement emphasized Canada's commitment to ensuring full accountability, decisive action, and required reforms within UNRWA, as well as the agency's critical role in providing humanitarian aid to over two million people in Gaza.
Sweden: The Swedish government said in a statement on March 9 that it will keep funding UNRWA after receiving guarantees about oversight of staff and expenditures. For 2024, the government set aside $40 million, of which the first $20 million will be given out shortly.
Background: Israel has attacked UNRWA on several occasions as it works to sustain over 5.9 million Palestinian refugees and has done so for around 74 years. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, called for a swift inquiry into Israel's claims that UNRWA employees took part in the October 7 attacks. Additionally, UNRWA opened an inquiry into Israel's claims.
Conclusion: While some nations and the EU have chosen to start giving UNRWA money again, others have reaffirmed their commitment to do so, highlighting the organization's critical role in helping Palestinian refugees.
