The European Commission has paid 16 million euros in funding to the United Nations agency for Palestine refugees in the Middle East, UNRWA, thus supplementing the funds planned for 2024 and which had been frozen after accusations of ‘Israel against the agency for its alleged participation in the Hamas attacks of October 7.
In this way, The European executive releases the last batch of the 32 million that were waitingafter funding was stopped following the controversy generated by Israel’s complaints, which were never confirmed.
Then, the initiative of the neighborhood commissioner, the Hungarian Oliver Varhelyi, decided to divide the payment into several installments, a first of 50 million which he disbursed in March and a second for the end of May, in addition to this post with which it completes the 82 million planned for 2024.
This payment “is in line with the conditions agreed between the Commission and UNRWA to improve the agency’s neutrality processes and control systems,” Brussels explained in a statement.
In recent days, the EU’s high representative for foreign policy, Josep Borrell, had called on the European Commission to release funds imminently so that UNRWA could receive “immediate” support, insisting that the EU support would also require the agency to have the necessary funds. to maintain its activity.
