Cash retained
The European Commission announced in March that it would continue funding UNRWA, the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees, after Israel claimed in January that UNRWA staff were involved in the attacks. from October 7.
However, part of the financial support for the Palestinian territories and member countries’ contributions to the agency are still blocked.
Borrell told reporters that “the time has come” to resume making full payments to UNWRA after a UN-commissioned review led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna found It has been more than two weeks since the humanitarian organization put in place mechanisms and policies to guarantee neutrality and “rapid processing”. and adequate responses to allegations. The report highlights the lack of evidence provided by Israel to support claims that Hamas personnel were involved in the October 7 attacks.
Ministers from Spain, Germany and Belgium also backed the call to reintroduce full funding for the UN agency.
“We are talking about civilians… who could suffer more from hunger due to a totally wrong decision by a government,” said Eva Granados Galiano, Spain’s Secretary of State for International Cooperation .
Jochen Flasbarth, state secretary at the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – which resumed cooperation with UNRWA last month – added that after Colonna’s report, “there is a reconstruction of confidence in UN institutions.
Politico
