Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza Matthias Schmale called on Monday on US not to politicise its aid to international organisation which serves Palestinian refugees.
During a protest staged by thousands of UNRWA employees in front of the UN office in Gaza, Schmale said: “It is not acceptable that the US politicises the aid offered to us.”
He added: “I say to the US that you were distinctive partners. Thanks to your support we could build the biggest organisation active in humanitarian work. You should continue this role.”
Schmale reiterated that the existence of UNRWA “is linked to a political issue” therefore, he said, “this issue must be resolved before dissolving the UNRWA.”
The UN official stressed: “We do not only want donations, we want a comprehensive solution for the issue of the [Palestinian] refugees.”
Meanwhile, the head of services at UNRWA, Amir Al-Mishal, said: “Any plan which aims to undermine UNRWA or any of the refugee issues will not succeed whatever the challenges and obstacles are.”
He noted that the US decision to reduce aid to UNRWA would affect six million Palestinian refugees.
“The message we want to convey to the world,” Al-Mishal said, “is that we have rights and these rights are not subject to statute of limitations.”
Last week, the UNRWA Commissioner General launched a campaign to raise funds for the organisation which is suffering the worst financial crisis since it was set up. He named the campaign: “Dignity is priceless.”
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