Saudi Arabia Donates $40 Mln to UNRWA

Ragya Wael March 21, 2024

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Saudi Arabia Welcomes Results of Report on UNRWA

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) decided to funnel $40 million into UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, yesterday, Wednesday amid global decisions to defund the agency.

KSA will send its donation through King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), a Saudi international center dedicated to humanitarian work.

“The funding will provide food for more than 250,000 people and tents for 20,000 families,” KSrelief said in a statement.

Why $40 million now?

Earlier this year, UNRWA has come under fire after allegations that 12 of its members were involved in Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7. Following these allegations, major UNRWA donors decided to halt their finding to the agency, while the humanitarian agency terminated the contracts of the 12 accused members.

As a result, funding to UNRWA falls short by about $60 million, threatening the agency’s operation in Gaza.

While countries like United States of America, France and Germany decided to suspended funding to Gaza, KSA, Turkey, Ireland and others decided to continue their funding.

Will UNRWA-LESS Gaza survive?

There were loud warnings that defunding the agency will have dire consequences as it is a lifeline to the Palestinian people.

“Defunding UNRWA would be both disproportionate and dangerous. The agency Is an irreplaceable provider of lifesaving aid to the Palestinians,” said High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

Borrell, highlighting the desperate need for UNRWA in Gaza, said that the agency distributes food, water and medicine and houses nearly 1.1 million people.

Besides providing water, food, medicine and shelter, the agency is vital for any aid operation in Gaza, as no other UN agency can operate in Gaza without the infrastructure and personnel of UNRWA.

Saudi aid in Gaza

Given the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza, KSrelief launched a national donation campaign last year to aid the people of Gaza. It dedicated an application called “Sahem” and donations channels on center’s website to collect the donations.

It is worthy to note that the Kingdoms has been extending air, sea and land bridges of assistance to Gaza through Rafah Border in Egypt.

About UNRWA

Given the 75-year-old struggle of the Palestinians and stifling conditions they have been living in, there was a urgent need for an agency to work on loosening the grip and that is how UNRWA was born.

Established in 1949, UNRWA initially aimed to offer humanitarian relief and protection to registered Palestine refugees within the agency’s operational area while they await a just and permanent resolution to their situation.

UNRWA extends a helping hand to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

In a bid to cover all aspects of life, the agency’s humanitarian efforts include education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance.