Workers at the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on Monday evening suspended their open general strike declared over the agency’s refusal to meet their demands.
The strike covers the five areas where the refugee agency operates; the West Bank Jordan Gaza Lebanon and Syria.
This came after reaching an agreement to cancel the UNRWA’s decision of “exceptional leave without pay for all employees under the pretext of financial deficit” and to return the annual bonus with retroactive effect.
Lynn Hastings the deputy special coordinator for the Middle East peace process said UNRWA was going through a cash flow crisis.
However the employees accused the UNRWA administration of “managing its financial deficit at the expense of its employees.”
Established in 1949 by the UN General Assembly UNRWA’s mission is to help Palestinian refugees in Jordan Lebanon Syria the West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential pending a just and lasting solution to their right of return.
UNRWA provides its services to about 5.3 million Palestinian refugees.
