LONDON: Britain, Italy and Finland on Saturday (Jan 27) turned the newest international locations to pause funding for the United Nations’ refugee company for Palestinians (UNRWA), following allegations its workers have been concerned within the Oct 7 Hamas assaults on Israel.
Set as much as assist refugees of the 1948 struggle at Israel’s founding, UNRWA offers training, well being and help companies to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Financial institution, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. It helps about two thirds of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants and has performed a pivotal help position through the present struggle.
The USA, Australia and Canada had already paused funding to the help company after Israel stated 12 UNRWA staff have been concerned within the cross-border assault. The company has opened an investigation into a number of staff and severed ties with them.
The Palestinian international ministry criticised what it described as an Israeli marketing campaign in opposition to UNRWA, and the Hamas militant group condemned the termination of worker contracts “based mostly on info derived from the Zionist enemy.”
The UK Overseas Workplace stated it was quickly pausing funding for UNRWA whereas the accusations have been reviewed and famous London had condemned the Oct 7 assaults as “heinous” terrorism.
“The Italian authorities has suspended financing of the UNRWA after the atrocious assault on Israel on October 7,” Itay’s Overseas Minister Antonio Tajani stated on social media platform X.
Finland additionally stated it suspended funding.
Hussein al-Sheikh, head of the Palestinians’ umbrella political physique the Palestine Liberation Group (PLO), stated slicing help introduced main political and reduction dangers.
“We name on international locations that introduced the cessation of their help for UNRWA to instantly reverse their determination,” he stated on X.
