Secretary General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Wednesday condemned the U.S. administration’s decision to curtail funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Aboul Gheit said this move casts doubt over the U.S. commitment to achieve a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian cause.
Aboul Gheit warned of taking such measure which he said could lead to long term consequences the most dangerous of which is the undermining of peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis and the creation of further tension in the Middle East especially in light of the increasing indifference towards Israel’s extremist policies and violations of Palestinians’ rights.
He said the U.S. move aims to pressure the Palestinian Authority to succumb to ready-made positions or terms that contradict the resolutions of international law concerning the Palestinian cause and seek to affect the life of the Palestinian refugees.
On Tuesday the U.S. State Department said it was withholding $65 million in aid to UNRWA.
Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict UNRWA was established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 to carry out direct relief and works programs for Palestine refugees. The Agency began operations on 1 May 1950.
The Agency’s services encompass education health care relief and social services camp infrastructure and improvement microfinance and emergency assistance including in times of armed conflict. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN Member States.
