Spain will ship the United Nations’ Palestinian refugee company UNRWA an extra 3.5 million euros ($3.8 million) in support, International Minister Jose Manuel Albares advised lawmakers on Monday (Feb 5).
Main donors to UNRWA, together with the USA and Germany, suspended funding after allegations emerged that round 12 of its tens of hundreds of Palestinian workers had been suspected of involvement within the Oct 7 assaults in Israel by Hamas.
Madrid contributed 18.5 million euros on to UNRWA in 2023, together with 10 million euros authorized in December following the choice to triple growth and humanitarian support to the Palestinian territories.
FORMER FRENCH FM TO REVIEW UNRWA
On the similar time, a former French international minister will lead a assessment of operations on the embattled UN company for Palestinian refugees in Gaza, which will likely be carried out by three impartial analysis organizations in Scandinavia.
Catherine Colonna’s appointment was introduced Monday by UN Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres after consultations with the pinnacle of the help company generally known as UNRWA.
Guterres additionally named the three organizations chosen to hold out the assessment: the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.
Guterres stated the ultimate report will likely be accomplished by late April and made public.
UNRWA’s Commissioner-Common Philippe Lazzarini requested an impartial assessment of the company following Israeli allegations that 12 of its 13,000 Gaza employees participated in Hamas’ Oct 7 assaults in southern Israel, which led to the present battle.
UNRWA SUPPLIES AID TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
Greater than a dozen international locations suspended support to UNRWA due to the allegations.
UNRWA gives important support and providers to tens of millions of individuals throughout the Center East, and in Gaza, it has been the principle provider of meals, water and shelter to civilians throughout the present battle.
The group conducting the assessment will begin work on Feb 14 with a mandate, “To establish the mechanisms and procedures that the Company at the moment has in place to make sure neutrality and to answer allegations or info indicating that the precept might have been breached.”
It is usually charged with figuring out whether or not or not these measures have been applied and whether or not they’re sufficient, and to make suggestions for enhancing them if obligatory. Its mandate says the group ought to keep in mind “the actual operational, political and safety surroundings wherein the company works.”
The impartial assessment will happen alongside an investigation of the Israeli allegations by the UN’s inside watchdog, the Workplace of Inside Oversight Providers, ordered by Guterres.
