UK to resume funding to UN agency for Palestinian refugees
Al Jazeera
New Labour government says UNRWA ‘absolutely central’ to humanitarian aid, commits to providing $27m.
The new Labour government in the United Kingdom has announced it will resume funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
“We are overturning the suspension of UNRWA funding,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy told Parliament on Friday, adding that the UN agency was “absolutely central” to providing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Lammy has committed to providing 21 million pounds ($27m) to the agency in new funds, lifting the suspension on funding introduced by the previous Conservative government.
In January, Britain was one of several countries to halt funding to UNRWA following accusations by Israel that some agency staff were involved in the October 7 attack in southern Israel led by Palestinian group Hamas.
A UN-authorised independent review found that Israel had not provided credible evidence for its accusations and most donors have since reinstated funding. There is a separate investigation into the October attack itself, by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services.
