Germany has decided to resume funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), as reported by the media. In a joint statement, the German Foreign Ministry and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development announced their plans to continue cooperation with UNRWA in the Gaza Strip. This decision follows similar moves made by Australia, Canada, Sweden, and Japan.
Earlier this week, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres accepted the recommendations of an independent investigative team regarding allegations of UNRWA’s involvement in terrorism in the Gaza Strip. The team concluded that UNRWA remained neutral and that Israel had not provided evidence of agency employees being linked to terrorist activities. Guterres supported UNRWA’s efforts to implement the commission’s recommendations and called on all stakeholders to support the organization as it plays a vital role in providing assistance to Palestinian refugees.
A report prepared by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna highlighted the importance of UNRWA for Palestinians in various regions, including Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank. The report acknowledged that while there may be room for strengthening mechanisms to ensure neutrality, UNRWA had already made progress in improving audits and internal controls to uphold humanitarian principles.
Israel had previously accused UNRWA of having employees involved in terrorist activities, including the Black Saturday massacre. However, the investigative team found no evidence to support these claims and emphasized the importance of supporting UNRWA in its mission to assist Palestinian refugees.