The European Union is suspending its support for UNRWA for a month and will review its continued support for the agency in the coming weeks. In addition, the Union, which is one of the agency's largest financiers, demands that UNRWA recheck with all of its employees whether they have any connection to terrorism.
This was announced today (years) at noon in an official decision of the Union Commission.
Weapons in UNRA agency bags (archive)
A UNRWA spokesman said today that: "If the funding is not renewed, UNRWA will not be able to continue serving and operating beyond the end of February throughout the region, including Gaza."
The European Union says that it is "one of the largest donors of humanitarian and development aid to the Palestinians in Gaza and that humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank will continue unabated through partner organizations."
However, regarding UNRA, the Commission says that "currently, no additional funding is expected for UNRA until the end of February" and that "the European Commission will determine the upcoming funding decisions for UNRA in light of the reality of the serious allegations made on January 24 concerning the involvement of UNRA staff "A on the 7th of the heinous October attacks. The committee will examine the matter in light of the results of the investigation announced by the UN and the actions it will take."
In addition, the Union demands that UNRWA "agree to an audit of the agency to be carried out by independent external experts selected by the European Union, with a specific focus on control systems necessary to prevent the possible involvement of its staff in terrorist activities."
"Finally," say the Europeans, "a review of all UNRWA teams must be started as soon as possible, to confirm that they are not participating in the attacks."
The European Union joins a long line of countries in the West that announced since Friday the suspension of funding to the agency, after it itself admitted that 12 of its employees took part in the crimes of Hamas's attack on Israel.
At this stage it is a temporary suspension of funding, pending an examination to be conducted by the UN.
It should be noted that UNRWA's involvement is not new and that even in the past various countries stopped supporting the agency for limited periods, for short periods of time.
However, it seems that the wave of funding cuts this time is the most significant, and may for the first time lead to a significant change in the functioning of the agency and possibly even its replacement.
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