Brussels unlocks 50 million for UNRWA after doubts about agency

Brussels provided $50 million in aid to UNRWA. The decision comes after several European countries announced they were cutting funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees over the involvement of a handful of activists in the October 7 Hamas attacks. The European Commission then began a review of that aid and this Friday announced the unlocking of these funds and an increase of 68 million euros in aid to Palestine.

The European Commission considers UNRWA’s clarification valid in the framework of the investigation into allegations of a very small percentage of personnel linked to the attacks. “The Commission has assessed its funding decision for UNRWA in the light of very serious allegations made on 24 January of implicating a number of UNRWA staff in the brutal attacks of 7 October. “This takes into account the measures adopted by the United Nations and the commitments sought from UNRWA by the Commission,” the community government said in a statement.

“The Commission welcomes the investigation by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services to shed light on serious allegations against UNRWA staff. Furthermore, it commends the United Nations for creating an independent review group led by Catherine Colonna to assess whether the agency is doing everything in its power to ensure neutrality and respond to allegations of serious violations. Yes or No.

The remaining funds will be distributed based on UNRWA’s fulfillment of a series of commitments, such as a review of its personnel to ensure that they have no connection to the attacks as well as a new control system to avoid such situations. Is included. Future. It will also launch an external audit and strengthen its internal investigation department.

In addition to that first disbursement and the agreement on the remaining funds, the European Commission has announced an increase of 68 million euros in the allocation for the Palestinian population. “We stand with the Palestinian people in Gaza and the rest of the region. Innocent Palestinians should not pay the price for the crimes of the Hamas terrorist group. “Lack of access to adequate food and other basic needs causes them to face dire conditions that put their lives at risk,” the European Commission president said in a statement.

This decision has come at a time when Israel had attacked a crowd trying to deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza a day earlier, in which about 100 people were killed. This massacre has shocked the European Union. Many leaders have condemned that massacre. The European Union has called for an independent investigation into what happened.

The High Representative, Josep Borrell, condemned the attack and pointed to the failure to follow the rules of war. “Depriving populations of humanitarian aid is a grave violation of international law,” he expressed on the social network X (formerly Twitter). His department has a request from Spain and Ireland to analyze whether Israel is failing to comply with its obligations regarding the trade agreement.