Responses to Decision to Cut Off Funding to UN Humanitarian Agency in Gaza
The Presidency of
the Palestinian Authority (PA) has categorically
rejected and condemned the "oppressive" campaign led by the Israeli
government against the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees (UNRWA). "The campaign aims to liquidate the issue of
Palestinian refugees,
contradicting UN Resolution 302, based on which the UNRWA started work
on 18 December 1949, and other UN resolutions related to the refugee
issue," the presidency said on January 28. The PA pointed out that
Israeli government officials have "openly expressed that there would be
no post-war role for
UNRWA, revealing the true motive behind the ongoing campaign.
"The refugee issue is at the core of the Palestinian cause, with dozens of UN resolutions adopted on the matter. There is no solution to the Palestinian issue except for the return of refugees, in accordance with Resolution 194."
The Arab League on January 28 warned of the grave consequences of major donor states suspending their funding of the UNRWA. "This campaign is not new and aims to liquidate the work of the agency, which serves millions of Palestinian refugees," explained Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit. The suspension of funding for UNRWA amid Israel's deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip "means leaving Palestinian civilians to starvation and displacement, and implementing the Israeli plan to eliminate their cause once and for all."
Saudi Arabia accused Israel of "pursuing a systematic policy of starvation in the Gaza Strip," Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan told a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Cairo. He called for forcing Israel "to do what we are all committed to, which is adherence to international law and humanitarian law." "We need a valuable and binding international resolution to stop the Israeli occupation's aggression against Gaza," Bin Farhan continued. "The priority is to stop the aggression against Gaza and bring in humanitarian aid," he said.
This article was published in
Volume 54 Number 8 - January 31, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS54084.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca