The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, today (Sunday) came to the defense of the UNRA agency for aid to the Palestinians and called on the countries that suspended the agency's budgeting to go back and restore the budgeting.
As recalled, UNRWA's Commissioner General, Felipe Lazarini, responded last night to the process of freezing funds and said that he "calls on the countries that have suspended their funding to reconsider their decisions."
UNRA agency, photo: AP
After the involvement of the organization's workers from Gaza in the October 7 massacre was revealed, a series of countries, including the USA, Canada, Germany, Australia, Finland, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Great Britain, announced the suspension of funding to the international organization.
In a special statement published on the UN website, the Secretary-General wrote that an investigation was opened immediately after the publication of "serious accusations" against the workers of the aid agency.
Guterres said that nine of the agency's employees who were proven to have participated in terrorist activities were fired by the head of the organization, Felipe Lazarini, and another employee was killed.
"Any UN employee who is involved in acts of terrorism will be held accountable for his actions, including a criminal investigation.
The organization's secretariat is ready to cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities in order to prosecute any such employee in accordance with the organization's established procedures," Guterres wrote.
However, the Secretary General came to the defense of UNRA and wrote: "Meanwhile, 2 million Gazan citizens depend on UNRA's immediate assistance for their daily survival and the current budget does not allow us to respond to everything that is needed to support them in February.
While I understand the concern, I myself am horrified by the accusations that have come up, we must at least ensure the continuation of UNRA's activities."
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