Moves to defund the U.N. Palestinian refugee company (UNRWA) have been extraordinarily ill-advised, European Union international coverage chief Josep Borrell warned Sunday.
“Defunding UNRWA would be both disproportionate and dangerous,” Borrell stated of the company, which is embroiled in controversy after Israel claimed a number of of its workers have been concerned within the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion.
“While some important donors suspended funding, there is a wide recognition that UNRWA is central to providing vital aid to more than 1.1 million people in Gaza suffering from catastrophic hunger and the outbreak of diseases.”
“Defunding the agency would put hundreds of thousands of lives at risk,” stated Borrell.
He added in a weblog article that “the agency has taken immediate steps and launched an investigation,” calling the allegations critical and which shouldn’t go unpunished if true.
His feedback include greater than a dozen nations, together with main donors the United States, Germany, Britain and Sweden, having suspended funding to UNRWA over Israeli accusations that 12 workers members have been concerned within the Oct. 7 incursion.
The company – which has acquired a Norwegian nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize – has warned it should stop operations by the top of the month ought to funding be considerably pulled.
The U.N. has introduced an audit into UNRWA’s operations saying that it could decide whether or not the physique ought to be suspended based mostly on the outcomes of that investigation.
Borrell stated he was satisfied the inquiry can be accomplished earlier than the launch of an impartial exterior investigation forward of the following fee from the European Commission due at month’s finish.
Borrell added that suspended whole funds at present quantity to “more than $440 million, or around half the agency’s expected funds for 2024.”
He warned such a shortfall known as into hazard the company’s very existence.
Israel’s struggle on Gaza – in response to Oct. 7 – has killed practically 27,500 Palestinians, largely ladies and kids.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed final week that the U.N. company had been “totally infiltrated” by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.
Source: www.dailysabah.com