The European Commission has disbursed the 16 million euros it expected to help the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), at a time when Israel has redoubled its offensive against the organization. Benjamin Netanyahu declared Secretary General António Guterres persona non grata and took the first steps with a law that would prevent the agency from acting in the occupied territories, which the EU said would have “disastrous consequences.” Furthermore, the Israeli army attacked the UN peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL) deployed in Lebanon.
In this context, the third payment of the 82 million euros that Brussels had committed to UNRWA for this year was made and which was in danger a few months ago, announced the far-right Hungarian commissioner, Oliver Varhelyi, in charge of Neighborhood and Enlargement. a review of programs due to serious accusations brought by Israel against a group of workers at the organization for their alleged links to Hamas. This movement put a strain on the EU and the aid was finally released after the investigation carried out by the UN itself.
“This third disbursement respects the conditions agreed between the Commission and UNRWA to improve the organization’s neutrality processes and control systems,” the community executive said in a statement about the €16 million payment. euros, which are added to the 50 million that were paid. in March and an additional 16 million which were delivered at the end of May. The total amount amounts to 82 million euros.
The leaders of the 27 reiterated their support for the UN this Thursday in the conclusions of the summit held in Brussels. “The European Council expresses its full and unwavering support for the Secretary-General of the United Nations. “Nowhere should the Secretary-General of the United Nations be declared ‘persona non grata’,” the text reads, referring to the Netanyahu government’s accusation against Guterres.
“The European Council underlines the essential role of the United Nations and its agencies, in particular UNRWA, which provides essential support to the civilian population both in Gaza and in the rest of the region. It is essential to continue the implementation of the UNRWA Action Plan. “The European Council condemns any attempt to revoke the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA or otherwise impede its ability to carry out its mandate,” the document adds of Netanyahu’s intention to limit the actions of the organization.
EU heads of government have raised their voice against Netanyahu following attacks on peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon. For the first time, they accuse Israel of violating international law with this attack, a move which until now had not received the unanimous support of the 27 despite the tens of thousands of people murdered in the Gaza Strip.
Despite this rise in tone, there is still no agreement to take punitive measures against Tel Aviv, such as the arms embargo defended by Spain, France or Ireland, or the revision of the trade agreement for violations of international law, requested by Pedro Sánchez and his Irish counterpart in February and what he again insisted on during the meeting of the 27 this Thursday. High Representative Josep Borrell will impose a debate on this issue during his last meeting with foreign ministers on November 18.
