Press Statement

The State of Palestine welcomes the decision by Canada and Sweden to re-instate funding for UNRWA as a necessary step to secure a life-line for Palestine refugees, especially in the midst of Israel’s unfolding genocide Strip and engineered famine in the occupied Gaza. 
The decision affirms the indispensability of UNRWA for ensuring the well-being, protection, and basic rights of millions of Palestine refugees and providing regional and international stability. It is also a testament to the impartiality, humanity, and neutrality of UNRWA. 
The international community has an obligation to preserve UNRWA’s mandate and ensure its continuity. Israel’s longstanding systematic campaign, propaganda, and State-sponsored attacks on UNRWA and incitement against UN employees must be rejected and confronted by the international community. Israel’s killing of over 150 UN employees and targeting of UN properties must be investigated and accountability must be ensured. 
At the same time, states must ensure they are not complicit in Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people, including by ending all arms trade with the occupying power. All States also have a clear duty to ensure the implementation of provisional measures ordered by the ICJ, including immediate and effective action to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance. Providing aid to Palestinian civilians does not absolve states from the responsibility and liability of arming Israel, which continues to slaughter and starve them.
The horrendous Flour Massacre, that took place on 29 February 2024, has shown the depth of Israel’s savagery and disregard for law and humanitarianism. Palestine calls upon other donor States who cut funding to immediately resume funding in line with their legal, political, and moral obligations. Failure to do so goes against the basic tenets of humanity.