Chairman of the Popular Committee against the Siege MP Jamal al-Khudari said that Washington’s decision to cut financial aid to UNRWA is dangerous and its impact extends to millions of refugees inside and outside Palestine.
Khudari said in a press statement on Saturday that the decision was aimed at making the humanitarian situation of refugees more complex in order to achieve political goals adding that “this will not pass and the Palestinian people have a right to return under all circumstances.”
He pointed out that the decision comes at a time of worsening humanitarian conditions of refugees in all their places of existence especially in Gaza with one million of them dependent on humanitarian assistance.
Khudari said that stopping the Agency’s services is a real and a serious violation of the daily practical educational health and humanitarian lives of the refugees.
He stressed that the decision to reduce and later completely stop support for the refugees comes as part of “a clear US plan and is an attempt to circumvent the rights of refugees and end their cause.”
“This decision is inseparable from the American and Israeli steps being taken on the ground starting with the transfer of the US Embassy to Jerusalem building and expanding settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank and tightening the siege on the Gaza Strip.”
Khudari called for “a Palestinian diplomatic response to meet the challenges resulting from this decision and to thwart the American plan to undermine UNRWA. Next year the UN General Assembly will vote to renew UNRWA’s mandate.”
Khudari called on Arab Muslim and foreign countries to redouble their efforts and increase their financial support to UNRWA enabling the agency to implement its humanitarian programs to serve millions of refugees inside and outside Palestine.
