New money for UNRWA: Chief is cautiously optimistic
Published: Saturday, Mar 9th 2024, 17:20
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The head of the UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, is cautiously optimistic that the organization can once again count on international support. "I have the feeling that a number of countries that have decided to suspend their financial support are in the process of reviewing their position," Lazzarini told Swiss broadcaster RTS on Saturday.
Most recently, Israeli accusations that individual employees of the UN organization could have been involved in the massacre by the Islamist Hamas on 7 October led to the withdrawal of international aid funds. Several Western countries temporarily suspended payments to UNRWA due to the allegations, including the two largest donors, the USA and Germany.
In view of the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population caused by the Israeli attacks, Lazzarini referred to the widespread feeling in the Arab world and the southern hemisphere that human rights or the Geneva Conventions have a "variable geometry", the diplomat said in the TV program.
On Saturday, the Swedish government announced that it would once again provide financial support to the UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency. A disbursement of 200 million crowns (around 17.7 million euros) had been decided, it said.
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