Palestinians in West Bank fear UNRWA aid cuts will add to their misery
A UNRWA worker in Jenin collects rubbish from the streets of a refugee camp on 30 January 2024
Fayha Shalash reports in Middle East Eye on 30 January 2024:
Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank have reacted to the US-led decision to cut funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) with concern and anxiety.
A number of countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Finland, cut off funding for the UN agency after Israel made as yet unproven allegations that 12 of its 30,000 workers had participated in the 7 October attack on Israel.
While UNRWA is the leading body providing aid to Gaza after the devastating Israeli military campaign after 7 October, its operations also help Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank and in camps outside of Palestine.
The cuts will therefore be keenly felt amongst Palestinians across the region. “The decision to cut support for Unwra will lead to a reduction in what is already reduced,” said Muhammad al-Sabbagh, head of the Popular Committee for Refugee Services in Jenin. “Several years ago, the agency reduced its services provided to the camp due to weak international support and a lack of budget, and now the matter will cause greater harm as the need for support increases,” he added.
While the Israeli bombardment of Gaza has attracted most international attention since October, with more than 26,000 people killed, the vast majority of them civilians, the West Bank has also seen a huge uptick in violence perpetrated by Israel.
Since the attack by Hamas-led fighters, Israel has carried out a number of military operations in the occupied West Bank. These incursions into refugee camps, such as the one at Jenin, have destroyed infrastructure, such as roads and damaged homes.