Attempts to get rid of UNRWA were not the result of the aggression against Gaza, but much before that (Al Jazeera)

The number of countries that announced the cessation of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) rose to 12, under the pretext that 12 of its employees participated in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, according to Israeli allegations, at a time when the agency warned that its services would stop at the end of next month. In a related context, the Israeli Foreign Minister called on the Agency's Commissioner-General to resign from his position.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that the European Commission decided to review the funding provided to UNRWA, and that there will be no additional funding for the agency until the end of next February.

Romania, Austria, and Japan joined the list of countries that adopted the Israeli position and announced that they would stop supporting the agency.

The three countries called for an investigation into the Israeli allegations, and UNRWA responded to the Israeli accusations by expelling the accused employees, and promised to conduct a comprehensive investigation and take legal measures if their participation was proven.

Similar situations

Previously, the United States, Canada, Australia, Italy, Britain, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, and France stopped funding the international agency, and despite what these countries demanded to conduct an investigation into the Israeli allegations, they took their positions before the investigation was conducted and before results were issued proving the validity of the Israeli allegations.

Other countries, such as Ireland and Norway, welcomed an investigation into the Israeli allegations, but said they would not cut aid.

The Western announcements came hours after the International Court of Justice in The Hague announced its rejection of Israel’s demands to drop the “genocide” lawsuit in the Gaza Strip brought against it by South Africa, and ruled temporarily to oblige Tel Aviv “to take measures to stop the genocide and bring in humanitarian aid.” In making its position, the court relied on UNRWA reports.

In a related context, Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz called on UNRWA Commissioner Philip Lazzarini to “draw lessons from what happened and resign,” in reference to Israeli allegations that UNRWA employees participated in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation.

Katz indicated that he canceled meetings scheduled for next Wednesday between Lazzarini and Israeli Foreign Ministry officials.

The government and the opposition in Israel agree on the need to “prevent” all of the agency’s activities, and to ensure that “UNRWA is not part of the phase” that follows the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

warning

The position of these countries prompted UNRWA to warn that stopping funding would result in the organization being unable “to continue its services in the region - including Gaza - after the end of next month.”

The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, expressed his regret "at taking the decisions to suspend funding, in light of the current humanitarian crisis that the Palestinians are suffering from in Gaza, and its repercussions on the organization of the agency's tasks during the coming period."

In an attempt to mitigate what these countries did and identify them with the Israeli position on the international organization, the German Foreign Ministry said that UNRWA “is not the only source that provides humanitarian aid to the Palestinians,” indicating the presence of other international organizations that may play the same role.

In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for placing Palestinian refugees under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and ending the presence of UNRWA.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies