Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the provision of an alternative to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) by the end of the week, while Washington is considering redirecting support designated for the agency to other entities.
Israel alleges that individuals from UNRWA played a role in the Aqsa Intifada attack, prompting the United States and other countries to suspend funding for the agency, which provides services to over 5 million Palestinians.
On Tuesday, Israeli media reported that Netanyahu requested the Chief of Staff to provide alternatives to UNRWA for delivering aid to Gaza by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, the United States announced that it may redirect the support earmarked for UNRWA to other institutions.
This development was revealed during a press conference by Fidan Batı, the Deputy Spokesperson at the US Department of State, confirming the Senate’s preparation of a bill to halt aid to UNRWA due to allegations of some of its members’ ties to Hamas. He added that the United Nations has opened an investigation into this matter.
Batı also mentioned the possibility of directing the funding granted to UNRWA to other partners for providing assistance to the Gaza Strip, such as the World Food Programme and UNICEF, among other civil organizations.
The US official emphasized the importance of promptly concluding the investigation, underscoring their awareness of the significance of UNRWA’s work.
Established in 1949, UNRWA is currently undergoing a process of downsizing in conjunction with the intensification of the Israeli blockade and aggression on Gaza (Reuters).
Divisions on Funding Suspension
Up to January 30th, 18 countries and the European Union suspended their funding for UNRWA in line with Israel’s claims of 12 of its employees’ involvement in the Aqsa Intifada, launched by Palestinian resistance against Israel in response to its massacres of civilians and desecration of holy sites.
On the other hand, the governments of Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Norway issued separate statements, confirming their continued financial support for UNRWA while emphasizing the importance of investigating those allegations.
UNRWA was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in 1949, entrusted with providing assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees in its five operational areas: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza, until a just solution to their problem is reached.
It is worth noting that since October 7th, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, resulting in 27,478 fatalities and 66,835 injuries, the majority of whom are children and women.
