STEpHEN SEEKS REINSTATEMENT OF FUNDING FOR UNRWA
Photo by Joel Muniz | @jmuniz via Unsplash
Stephen has written to both the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, and Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, Mrs Tzipi Hotovely about funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The UK had stopped donating to the organisation after allegations of the involvement of UNRWA staff in the 7 October attacks.
A recent review by the former French foreign minister, Catherine Colonna, found hat UNRWA had regularly supplied Israel with lists of its employees for vetting. Yet, it noted the Israeli government had not informed UNRWA of any concerns relating to any of the organisation’s staff since 2011. Alongside the Colonna report, a more detailed assessment was sent to the UN by the three Nordic research bodies – the Swedish-based Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, the Norwegian Chr Michelsen Institute, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights. Their report concluded that “...Israeli authorities have to date not provided any supporting evidence nor responded to letters from UNRWA in March, and again in April, requesting the names and supporting evidence that would enable UNRWA to open an investigation.”
Stephen asked the Israeli Ambassador why Israel was – seemingly - unwilling to share its information about UNRWA’s alleged links to Hamas. He also suggested to Lord Cameron that the UK government might now resume its funding of UNRWA. The UK has been encouraged to do so by the UN’s chief spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, who said “…all stakeholders [must] actively support UNRWA, as it is a lifeline for Palestine refugees in the region.”
Speaking about the letters, Stephen said: “Ministers had said they would wait for the Colonna report to make a decision on resuming funding. I hope they will now reinstate their donations as soon as possible given the failure of the Israeli’s to provide any evidence as to UNRWA’s supposed links to Hamas.”
To read Stephen’s letter to Lord Cameron, click here. To read his letter to Ambassador Hotovely, click here.
Update [1 May 2024]: Lord Cameron’s reply can be read here.