The prime Spanish diplomat introduced on Monday that his nation would preserve its assist for the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees amid an ongoing controversy following Israeli allegations that among the company’s workers have been concerned within the Oct. 7 assaults.
During a parliamentary fee assembly, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares known as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees within the Near East (UNRWA) “indispensable,” and stated the funding helps “alleviate the horrible humanitarian scenario in Gaza.”
His announcement comes after a rising variety of Western nations stated they have been freezing funding for the company amid an inner investigation about some workers’ roles within the Oct. 7 assault on Israel.
At least 12 nations, together with the United States, Canada, the U.Okay., Germany, France, Japan, Australia, the Netherlands, and Austria, have suspended funding. Meanwhile, a minority of Western nations like Ireland and Norway have spoken out in opposition to the funding cuts.
On Monday, Spain’s overseas minister stated Spain will likely be following the company’s inner investigation carefully, however highlighted the inquiry is trying on the acts of “round a dozen individuals out of UNRWA’s 30,000 employees.”
On Sunday, the U.N. company launched an announcement saying its “life-saving help might finish” as a result of funding freezes, including that as the first help company in Gaza, it runs shelters for over 1 million individuals and gives meals and healthcare.
Spain’s junior coalition celebration Sumar posted on X, previously Twitter that the choice to chop help is “an attack against humanity” and “collective punishment.” It added that it’ll strain the Spanish authorities to spice up funding for the group.
Meanwhile, Albares added that Spain has tripled its funding to Palestine in current months to round €50 million ($54 million), which incorporates funding for UNWRA.
The U.N. rapporteur on Palestine in the meantime welcomed Spain’s determination to not droop its funding to the company amid the Israeli accusations.
“The Spanish government’s decision not to suspend funding to UNRWA demonstrates wisdom and reflects the country’s far-reaching perspective, as well as its moral high ground among European countries on international law and conflict resolution,” Francesca Albanese stated on X.
The Spanish overseas minister additionally informed politicians that Spain helps Friday’s ruling of the highest U.N. court docket which calls on Israel to forestall genocide.
“We urge the integral compliance with this sentence by all events. We request an pressing cease-fire and the doorway of humanitarian help,” he added.
Albares warned that the violence in Israel and Palestine may spill over to neighboring nations, which may have “devastating results for these international locations, and the complete Mediterranean area, which, in fact, consists of Spain.”
The Spanish authorities continues pushing for a global peace convention, which might, in impact, see the complete worldwide neighborhood recognizing a “viable” Palestinian state. Albares stated that 88 nations now again the thought.
“We will not resign ourselves to watching more innocent women, men, and children killed in Gaza and more suffering of Palestinian families,” he said. “We won’t resign ourselves to maintain watching the struggling of the households of hostages. The violence should cease.”
Catering to Palestinian refugees throughout the Middle East, the UNRWA is concerned in main and vocational schooling, main healthcare, aid and social companies, infrastructure and camp enchancment, and emergency response.
Much of the two.3 million inhabitants in Gaza, the place Israeli assaults since Oct. 7 have killed greater than 26,000 individuals apart from mass displacement and destruction, depends upon the company’s humanitarian operation.
UNRWA says the contracts of the accused workers members have been terminated and an investigation has been launched.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged donor states to rethink their UNRWA funding withdrawals.
Source: www.dailysabah.com