Merino assured that Consel would cancel aid to UNRWA if “links to terrorism” were found.

Valencia (EP). Minister of Finance, Economy and Public Administration and Spokesperson of the Council, Ruth Marino, stressed this Tuesday that the Valencian government “will not be afraid if it definitely has to cancel” the help line that was for the United Nations Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) “if it is definitely confirmed that It is linked to any terrorist activity”. However, he clarified that no decision is to be taken until July as that is when the agreement should be renewed.

Several countries have suspended funding to UNRWA following allegations of the alleged involvement of some of its workers in an attack by Palestinian militias against Israel on 7 October, which triggered the current conflict in Gaza.

In this regard, Merino stressed in a press conference, that the Consul is “very clear that not a single euro of Valencian money will be dedicated to this agency” if there is any doubt that it could end up in an organization. Which has any connection with any kind of terrorism.

Sources in the Second Vice-President and the Department of Social Services said yesterday that the Council does not have to take any decision in this regard until July as this is the date when the agreement with UNRWA is signed. For this reason, he explained that at that time “it will be analyzed whether the United Nations negatively qualifies this agency.”

In this regard, Merino has stated that they will “act with utmost caution and we will remain fully alert to see how events develop.”

The provincial council will maintain its cooperation

First Vice-President of the Provincial Council of Valencia and person in charge of international cooperation, natalia anguixconfirmed this Tuesday that the provincial body will continue its assistance to the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA Spain) through its Delegation in the Valencian Community.

In fact, Anguix has said that the provincial council will maintain its contribution to UNRWA and, “if necessary, will increase it.” “We understand that we must help the civilian population, who is suffering the most, regardless of the cause of the conflict,” he defended, according to the provincial body, in a statement.

The official stressed that at the “most critical” moment of the war conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Provincial Council “continued its help to UNRWA” with a contribution of 40,000 euros aimed at food aid for the Palestine refugee population in special situation. Vulnerability. Thus, he stressed that this corporation “will always be on the side of those who suffer most from war and, in this case, the most vulnerable populations, women and children.”

Enguix has defended that while more than a dozen countries have halted their aid to UNRWA, “at the height of the escalation of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict”, the Valencia Provincial Council “is in favor of the peace and dignity of all peoples and of any It is against “action that harms or endangers the civilian population.”

In this sense, they have argued that aid to UNRWA “responds to the emergency appeal launched by the United Nations agency due to the worsening of the situation in Gaza following the August 2022 attack.”