Confederation examines report on Palestinian aid organization
Published: Tuesday, Apr 23rd 2024, 13:20
العودة إلى البث المباشر
The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs will "thoroughly analyze" the report published on Monday evening by independent experts on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Gaza Strip. A decision will then be taken on the further funding of the relief organization by the Confederation.
Switzerland has not yet transferred its contribution of CHF 20 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) for the year 2024, as the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) reminded the Keystone-SDA news agency on Wednesday. The suspension - announced a few months ago following serious allegations against the UN agency - is still in force.
The foreign policy committees of the National Council and the Council of States will be consulted before any decision is made on UNRWA funding, as decided by Parliament last December, the statement added in response to a request. The latter did not specify when the decision would be taken.
Created after attack
A review of the UN relief organization, conducted under the leadership of former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, suggests that UNRWA has political "neutrality problems". However, Israel has yet to provide "evidence" of possible terrorist involvement by some members of UNRWA, the experts added.
The report presented in New York was prepared after Israel accused the UN organization of employing hundreds of Palestinian terrorists, a dozen of whom were allegedly involved in the Hamas attack on Israeli soil on October 7.
©كيستون/إسدا
Arabic 
English 
German 
French 
Spanish