Suspension of funding to UNRWA deplorable: Palestine Authority

Tel Aviv, Jan 29 (IANS) The foreign ministry of Palestine Authority (PA) has said that suspension of funds to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Near East (UNRWA) was deplorable.

In a statement on Sunday night, the PA said that the suspension of funds to the UNRWA by the US, the UK and other countries was highly deplorable and of double standards.

The PA also said that the UNRWA chief Phileppe Lazzarani has already announced that the UN agency was willing for an independent investigation on the Israeli claims regarding UNRWA staff.

Israel has complained to the United Nations and other funding countries that several UNRWA staff members were directly involved in the October 7 massacre in southern Israel when Hamas men swarmed into the Israeli communities and slaughtered 1,200 people -- a majority being civilians.

Israel has in its complaint stated that the details of UNRWA staff members' participation in the October 7 attack was obtained while interrogating arrested Hamas militants. Israel intelligence agencies and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have also provided information to the Israeli side regarding the participation and involvement of UNRWA staffers.

The foreign ministry of the Palestinian Authority defined the decision to suspend funding to the UNRWA as “highly politicized, disproportionate and unjustified”.

The Ministry, according to its statement, said that the decision to suspend funding to UNRWA was a form of “collective punishment”.

It also added that the UNRWA was about to run out of money and would not be able to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees throughout the region.

Israel has in its complaint stated that the details of UNRWA staff members participation in the October 7 attack was garnered while interrogating arrested Hamas militants. Israel intelligence agencies and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have also provided information to the Israeli side regarding the participation and involvement of UNRWA staffers.

Israel has all along been maintaining that the UNRWA was acting as a cover for Hamas in Gaza and that it should be replaced with some other agency.