West Stop Funding For UN Agency In Gaza, Palestinian President: Punishing Our People For No Reason

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Wikimedia Commons/men's

JAKARTA - The President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) has asked countries that have suspended funding for the United Nations aid agency in Gaza to reconsider its decision.

As many as ten Western countries, with France's latest, suspended funding for the United Nations Aid and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), after allegations emerged that some of its staff members were involved in the Hamas group attack to the south of Israel on October 7.

"Such a position, if maintained, will punish millions of our people disproportionately for no apparent reason," PA President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement on Sunday, according to WAFA.

President Abbas accused Israel of acting out of hostility towards the UN agency, saying: "Operations in the Israeli government publicly state UNRWA will not play a role, and reveal the true motive behind this campaign."

Separately, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh also said on Sunday he hoped the "very dangerous" decision to suspend funding would be canceled.

He said the decision to suspend aid was "imposed at the most difficult times, at a time when the International Court (ICJ) called for supply immediately, and increased international aid supplies to Gaza."

It is known, France is the latest Western country to say it will stop funding for UNRWA. Last year, France had donated nearly 60 million euros to UNRWA. Previously there were the United States, Germany, Canada, Italy, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Finland. Unlike the ten countries, Ireland and Norway said they would continue to fund the UN agency.