Discontinuing UNRWA funding will have disastrous repercussions: Qatar's PM

Tel Aviv, Feb 5 (IANS) Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has said that there would be "disastrous repercussions" in the stability of the region if funding for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is halted.

The Qatar Prime Minister was speaking to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, according to Hebrew media reports.

Media reports stated that the Qatar Prime Minister has stressed the "severe consequences" of discontinuing funding to the UNRWA and emphasized that halting financial support to the agency could lead to "disastrous repercussions".

He also showcased its pivotal role in ensuring regional stability and providing humanitarian relief.

The discussion, as per reports, brought to the forefront the critical situation in the Middle East, particularly in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

The Qatar Prime Minister highlighted the "indispensable" contribution of UNRWA in supporting millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

He further indicated that the stability of the region and the welfare of millions of people rely on the continuity of the agency's operations.