The Center for Near East Policy Research (CFNEPR), contacted 44 nations who donate humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza through UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency operating in Gaza, to determine if any donor nation had cut back on its donations to the Palestinians in Gaza. 75% of the Gaza population dwells in UNRWA facilities.
With the exception of the US, which has cut back on 20% of its donations to UNRWA, every single diplomatic legation that donates to UNRWA responded emphatically that they are not cutting back one penny from aid to UNRWA.
After tabulating the responses from the diplomatic community, CFNEPR calculates that the 1.2 billion dollar UNRWA budget should be flowing like water from the donor to the five million people who benefit from UNRWA health, education and welfare programs - in Gaza, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.
However, despite assurances of continued cash flow, UNRWA still proclaims to the media that it is bereft of resources to provide basic services. UNRWA Media Adviser Adnan Abu Hasna declared that UNRWA lacks basic food products and that the people of Gaza "have nothing to lose," adding that "we don’t know yet whether school will open in the coming year...We’re talking about 300,000 students who need to go to school."(1)
Why, looking at the facts, does UNRWA claim that it does not have funds for humanitarian needs?
Where has all the flour - that is, the funds for flour - gone? |