UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees

January 30, 2024

GS Paper II International Organizations

Context:

Several donor countries have recently announced a halt to their funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Allegations by Israel: The United States and eight other Western nations, responsible for over half of UNRWA’s 2022 budget, reduced their funding following Israel’s allegations that 12 UNRWA staff members were involved in the October 7 attack.

What is UNRWA?

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Genesis: It was founded in 1949 to provide aid to about 700,000 Palestinians who were forced to leave their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
Region of Operation: The UN agency operates in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as well as Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan where the refugees took shelter after their displacement.
Provision of Services: UNRWA plays a pivotal role in supporting the livelihoods of the residents of Gaza who have been forced into a humanitarian crisis following the outbreak of conflict.
- The agency serves as the primary provider of essential provisions such as food, water, and shelter to the enclave’s civilians.
Funding: UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions by donor states like the US.
- It also gets a limited subsidy from the UN, which is used only for administrative costs.

News Source: Indian Express

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