On Thursday 1 February, upon arrival at the European Council, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called on European leaders to continue their financial support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which is in turmoil following allegations that some of its staff were involved in the attacks of 7 October last year.
“It is important to continue supporting UNRWA. An investigation must be carried out, but we cannot inflict collective punishment on the Palestinian people”, he warned, adding that there was no alternative to UNRWA “if we want to keep these people alive”. “No collective punishment for the Palestinian people. No reduction [in funding, editor’s note] for UNRWA”, he insisted.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said that the allegations “did not in themselves justify a suspension of UNRWA funding, either from Ireland or the European Union”. In his view, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has “clearly indicated that the next payment [to UNRWA] is due in February and that this payment could well be made, that there is no freeze on European funding”.
On Thursday, UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini announced that if funding remained suspended, the UN agency would “very probably” have to cease operations by the end of February, “not only in Gaza, but in the whole region”.
However, the High Representative pointed out that it could not be ignored that “up to 10%” of people working for UNRWA had worked with Hamas and that an investigation should be carried out.
In addition to this investigation, on Monday 29 January the European Commission asked UNRWA to accept an independent audit of its controls. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced that his country would require a “very detailed” analysis in order to maintain its support for the agency.
During their discussion with Charles Michel, according to the European Council President, the European leaders reiterated the areas of agreement regarding the situation in the Middle East: the need to reduce risks of escalation, particularly in the Red Sea, to continue to advocate for the immediate release of the hostages and to work towards the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, because “every civilian life matters”. Several leaders also stressed the importance of a ceasefire in Gaza.
“There is very strong political convergence on the extreme importance of relaunching the negotiation process for a two-state solution”, added Mr Michel, adding that the Heads of State and Government had discussed the idea put forward by the EU High Representative of a possible peace conference.
See the European Council conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/aoz (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant with the editorial staff)