UNRWA’s Fate in Question

Anwar Hammad, deputy minister of refugee affairs in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), rejected the proposal to lay off thousands of UNRWA employees. He warned that the move would not resolve the agency’s financial crisis, but would weaken its education, health and social services for refugees. He noted that UNRWA has faced a deficit since 2012, reaching $150 million to $200 million in some years, and estimated at around $70 million this year. He called for seeking new sources of funding rather than cutting staff. Hammad said the measures raise concerns that UNRWA’s role is being wound down by first tarnishing its reputation, then restricting its work and replacing it. However, he stressed that there is no written, publicly announced plan to transfer its responsibilities to other entities.

Size: 120%Text Size

Notice: This Is an AI-Generated Summary

Display The Full Article