Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), visited Ireland this week following the country’s decision to pledge 20 million euros (just under $21.5m) in support for the crisis-hit agency.
The UNRWA, which provides healthcare, education and other vital services to the Palestinian people, was accused by Israel last month of having links to the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, prompting more than 10 donor countries, including the United States, Germany, the European Union and Canada, to suspend financial support.
The funding from these countries makes up the bulk of all funding received by the UNRWA. Being cut off in this way means the agency will run out of money altogether within weeks, it said.
Ireland is one of the few countries to hold firm, however. “In Gaza, we are bearing witness to a humanitarian catastrophe,” said Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin on Thursday.
“People are in dire need of the most basic life-saving provisions – food, water, shelter. In these most harrowing conditions, facing the prospect of further military escalation, UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response. It urgently needs support from all UN member states.”
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Why do you think that? Heaps of the Arab countries fund UNRWA, have done for years.
(If you want more detail than that link UNRWA itself releases lists of donor countries)
They do