The European Commission will retain funding for the UN Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA), although demanded a European audit to evaluate its work, after several Member States canceled delivery of funds due to allegations that some of their workers They participated in the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.

“The EU is one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid and development for the Palestinians of Gaza. “Humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank will continue without interruption through partner organizations,” the community executive said in a statement, adding that no further funds would be released until the end of February.

In this sense, Brussels has confirmed that it will make future decisions based on result of internal investigation initiated by the agency to establish the involvement of a dozen workers in the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, following accusations by Israel.

He also called on UNRWA accept audit “independent external experts appointed by the EU” to review the functioning of the agency. Specifically, the control systems needed to “prevent the potential involvement of agency personnel in terrorist activities,” and in this regard he calls for strengthening the agency’s Department of Internal Investigations.

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“When we work with an agency as intensively as we do with UNRWA, it is completely standard procedure to have control mechanisms and “We can request an audit at any time,” This was stated by the Commission’s chief representative, Eric Mamer, at a press conference in the European capital.

In his opinion, allegations against the agency should be investigated urgently and without delay, but he acknowledged that Aid to Palestine in the context of the Israeli offensive must continue.

For this reason, he advocated the “unification” of both dimensions. ask for clarification and support help Palestinian refugees, opening up the possibility of channeling aid through other organizations.

This was stated by Italy, Austria, the Netherlands and Germany. They won’t provide more funds to UNRWA after the scandal was exposed, and France said that At the moment, he won’t either., since they do not have any payments planned in the near future. Against, Ireland and Spain confirm they will maintain funding to a UN agency.

(Europe Press)