UNRWA provides its services to about 5.9 million Palestinians (Reuters)

Today, Sunday, new governmental and human rights positions emerged against the suspension of funding by America and other countries for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), some of whose members Israel accuses of playing a role in the Al-Aqsa flood operation last October 7.

Norway's Foreign Minister said he urges donor countries to think about the broader consequences of stopping UNRWA services.

He added, "We cannot abandon the Palestinian people, and this is the wrong time to suspend funding for UNRWA."

Reuters quoted the Australian Prime Minister as saying, "We do not want people to die of hunger in Gaza, and UNRWA is the only one that can provide support there."

He added that Australia is studying the accusations against UNRWA with other countries, and wants to "resolve the matter."

On January 27, the United States announced the suspension of its funding for the agency.

Nine other countries also took similar decisions, based on Israel’s claim that agency employees were involved in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, which was launched by the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) - on October 7, 2023.

Imminent famine

For its part, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor said - today, Sunday - that suspending funding for UNRWA in light of an imminent famine in Gaza amounts to “conspiracy and participation” in the crime of genocide.

The Observatory warned of "the serious consequences of many donor countries suspending their funding for UNRWA, in light of the current catastrophic conditions," describing the decision as "a serious violation of the international obligations of these countries, especially with regard to protecting the Palestinian people from the crime of genocide."

He added that this comes in implementation of the eternal Israeli policies and projects, aimed at liquidating the Palestinian issue and stripping the Palestinian people, led by the refugees, of their rights guaranteed under international law and relevant UN resolutions.

The Observatory pointed out that "the Israeli army has continued at the same pace to kill civilians collectively and individually and to starve them in Gaza, since the issuance of the International Court of Justice decision that obligated Israel to take measures to prevent the commission of the crime of genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip."

Internal recommendation

In Israel, Channel 12 reported that senior officers in the occupation army submitted a recommendation to the Chief of Staff to stop the campaign to smear UNRWA, at least for now.

The officers' recommendation stated that the Israeli leaks regarding UNRWA were not organized.

They expressed their fear that the campaign to smear UNRWA before finding an alternative would produce negative results in Gaza.

It is noteworthy that UNRWA provides its services to approximately 5.9 million people, and about two-thirds of this number live in 58 recognized refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In 2022, the number of students enrolled in the agency’s schools reached 544,710.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies