Stephen asks the Government to resume funding UNRWA in palestine
Last week in Parliament, Stephen pushed the Government to resume funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the primary aid agency for Palestinians, while investigations into allegations against it continue.
UNRWA is the largest aid agency in Gaza, employing 13,000 people in the region. It provides healthcare, housing, and financial assistance to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, and Lebanon. They operate more than 150 permanent and temporary shelters and run 80 mobile health teams. Around 2 million people in Gaza depend on its services.
Over 90% of the funding for UNRWA comes from voluntary contributions by UN member states, including the UK and US. In January, the US, Canada, Australia, Italy, and the UK suspended funding after Israel presented the UN with evidence that 12 UNRWA employees participated in the 7 October terror attacks and that facilities owned by UNRWA had been used for terror purposes. UNRWA launched an independent investigation into these allegations.
On Tuesday 27 February, Stephen urged the Government to fund UNRWA while the investigation continues, noting “having a hobbled UNRWA is undoubtedly exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.”
Andrew Mitchell, the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, responded to Stephen. He noted that no funds are due from the UK until the new financial year, which begins in April, and that UNRWA has enough money to last until then.