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Two days before UNRWA Secretary-General Philippe Lazzarini was scheduled to meet EU development ministers in Brussels, the Israeli military again harshly criticized the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the Israel Defense Forces announced on Saturday. They discovered tunnels beneath the United Nations headquarters in the Gaza Strip that were used by Hamas for intelligence operations. The Palestinian Islamic extremist group Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States, and other countries.
The UNRWA chief denied knowledge of the tunnel or the power supply from its headquarters. He also said that the UNRWA building has not been used since October 12, shortly after the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for Lazzarini’s resignation.
When Lazzarini visited Brussels a year ago to seek funding for the organization, his request was well received. But Monday’s meeting is likely to be very different.
Lazzarini will now have to answer important questions not only about the newly discovered tunnels, but also about the alleged collaboration between UNRWA officials and Hamas. Israeli intelligence claims that 12 of UNRWA’s estimated 13,000 personnel were involved in the October 7 Hamas-led attack in Israel.
In response to Israel’s claims, the United Nations immediately fired nine of the accusers and reported that two of them had died and the whereabouts of the other were unknown. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has ordered an internal investigation aimed at identifying all those responsible, which is currently underway.
Israeli authorities also claim that around 10% of UNRWA staff have ties to Hamas, but have so far been unable to provide any evidence.
Germany to halt aid among other countries
The allegations prompted several EU member states, including Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, to suspend payments to UNRWA pending the outcome of the investigation.
Other EU member states, including Ireland and Belgium, also intend to continue transferring funds. Spain has increased its contribution by 3.5 million euros ($3.8 million) to provide more humanitarian aid to residents of the besieged Gaza Strip. Portugal also intends to send more funds than before.
It is estimated that without continued donations, UNRWA will not be able to continue life-saving operations for displaced Palestinians in Gaza for more than a few weeks. At least 27,000 Palestinians have been killed and 1.9 million displaced since Israel began its offensive against Palestine in October, according to figures from the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the EU is not currently making payments because they are not due by the end of this month. By then, he hopes an internal financial investigation by the EU will determine whether funds were actually being channeled to terrorist activities and whether cooperation with UNRWA can continue.
An investigation into similar charges in November found that no EU funds had been diverted to Hamas. Mr Borrell also said he regretted the lack of uniformity in the EU’s stance towards UNRWA.
“There is no replacement for UNRWA.”
Following recent informal talks with EU foreign ministers, Borrell stressed the need to continue payments to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
“Certainly we ask for review, we ask for control. [about] Although there is a lack of accountability, the general feeling among the majority of Member States is that there is no alternative to UNRWA. I repeat: there is no alternative to UNRWA,” he said in his February 3rd statement.
Borrell estimated that Palestinian relief agencies are feeding about 2 million people not only in the Gaza Strip, but also in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. It also provides medical and educational services to approximately 5.9 million forcibly displaced Palestinian refugees.
“Who can replace him overnight?” Borrell said. “UNRWA plays an important role. It is true that the Israeli government is very critical of UNRWA, but that is not the case.” [only] Now, and many times before, we cannot punish 2 million people. ”
UNRWA chief Lazzarini said the withdrawal of funds was “an additional collective punishment.”
‘We must help’: German development minister
Germany was the world’s second largest donor to UNRWA after the United States. In 2022, it will contribute $202 million. The United States, which contributed $344 million in 2022, also suspended payments. During the same period, the European Union transferred $114 million from a common fund contributed by all member states.
Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada have also suspended or reviewed payments following recent allegations. A total of 20 countries around the world responded similarly.
German Development Assistance Minister Svenja Schulze expects funding to UNRWA to continue once the investigation is concluded and the charges are resolved.
“Given all the suffering and suffering that currently exists in the region, it is unimaginable for us to stop providing assistance,” Schulz told German television news station NTV in January.
“We have to help there. It is also in Israel’s interest that the people of this region get help.”
UNRWA operations are in immediate danger
in a press release UNRWA warned on February 1 that it would be unable to continue providing aid to Gaza residents if funding continued to be suspended.
The relief agency is not funded from the regular UN budget and relies on annual donations. The organization was founded in 1949 to provide aid to the more than 750,000 Palestinians who were forced from their homes or displaced during or prior to the conflict over the creation of the state of Israel.
analysis UNRWA’s website describes the situation: “UNRWA is accustomed to operating in a climate of financial uncertainty, but the developments in January create a new level of risk. Funding could run out by 2019 unless the government quickly and fully resumes funding, the agency said at the end of February. ”
This article was originally written in German.
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