Brussels, 11/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn announced on Tuesday 10 February that the Commission had that day adopted a contribution of €82 million from the EU to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East). “The funding decision has been made”, he said in a European Parliament debate. The 2014-2016 multiannual framework contains €246 million for the Agency.
Of the €82 million, “four million will go to providing shelter. This will be aid to improve the conditions of the most vulnerable and to provide them with the basics lost in hostilities”, he added. The commissioner regretted that the Agency had had to suspend its assistance in the reconstruction of houses in Gaza after last summer's war. Promises made in October were not honoured (see EUROPE 11175). 96,000 houses were destroyed during the conflict.
In the debate, the commissioner, and MEPs, called on donors to keep their word on funding for the reconstruction of Gaza. “I call on all donors to stick by their commitments so that the needs of the most vulnerable can be met. I call on UNRWA to increase its efforts to raise additional funding from non-traditional donors, including the Gulf States”, he said.
“The funding deficit is a threat to the very existence of the Agency”, warned Victor Bostinaru (S&D, Romania). “There is a shortfall of $585 million (for reconstruction); what has become of the money promised? In Gaza, people are sleeping in ruined buildings, children are dying of cold”, said Martina Anderson (GUE, UK). “If the international community does not have the will to deal with the Palestinian issue at its root … the least we can do is help Gaza's most vulnerable”, she added.
MEPs highlighted the need for a peace agreement to be reached between Israel and the Palestinians. Stating that this was rebuilding a region doomed to permanent destruction, Fernando Maura Barandiaran (ALDE, Spain) argued that the EU should apply “real pressure” for a two-state solution (our translation throughout). (Camille-Cerise Gessant)