14 mar 2019
The Government of Japan contributed a new assistance for 2019 of $32,983,034 to the Palestinian people for projects to be carried out through mainly United Nations organizations and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), on Thursday.
According to a press statement by the Representative Office of Japan to Palestine, in the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, the new contribution, which will be disbursed for all projects by the end of March, includes assistance for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East (UNRWA) at the amount of over $17.7 million, most going for emergency response for humanitarian assistance in the besieged Gaza Strip at a total of $13.2 million.
A total of $3.3 million will towards the installation of solar energy panels to mitigate the energy crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, in addition to urgent support for health and protection needs through, information and communication technology sector development, as well as employability and technical skills for resilient Palestinian youth through.
In addition, other projects will also be implemented in partnership with various international organizations in collaboration with Japanese NGOs.
The statement said that the philosophy of the new assistance lies in strengthening humanitarian assistance for refugees and internally displaced people, supporting social stabilization and de-radicalization through education and job creation for the youth, and promoting women’s health, to name a few.
The statement added, "The Government of Japan is strongly committed to supporting the two-state solution through those humanitarian and developmental projects."
While the grand total for the occupied Palestinian territories amounts to $27,706,249, the Government of Japan would also provides UNRWA with an additional $5,276,784 to support Palestinian refugees in Lebanon with $580,357 and Syria with $4,696,427, bringing the total amount of the budget including these supports to $32,983,034.
Since 1993, the Government of Japan has extended its official development assistance amounting to approximately $1.9 billion to Palestine.
According to a press statement by the Representative Office of Japan to Palestine, in the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, the new contribution, which will be disbursed for all projects by the end of March, includes assistance for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East (UNRWA) at the amount of over $17.7 million, most going for emergency response for humanitarian assistance in the besieged Gaza Strip at a total of $13.2 million.
A total of $3.3 million will towards the installation of solar energy panels to mitigate the energy crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, in addition to urgent support for health and protection needs through, information and communication technology sector development, as well as employability and technical skills for resilient Palestinian youth through.
In addition, other projects will also be implemented in partnership with various international organizations in collaboration with Japanese NGOs.
The statement said that the philosophy of the new assistance lies in strengthening humanitarian assistance for refugees and internally displaced people, supporting social stabilization and de-radicalization through education and job creation for the youth, and promoting women’s health, to name a few.
The statement added, "The Government of Japan is strongly committed to supporting the two-state solution through those humanitarian and developmental projects."
While the grand total for the occupied Palestinian territories amounts to $27,706,249, the Government of Japan would also provides UNRWA with an additional $5,276,784 to support Palestinian refugees in Lebanon with $580,357 and Syria with $4,696,427, bringing the total amount of the budget including these supports to $32,983,034.
Since 1993, the Government of Japan has extended its official development assistance amounting to approximately $1.9 billion to Palestine.
11 mar 2019
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki has says that the U.S. decision to stop financial aid, to a UN agency which supports Palestinian refugees, has not affected its works.
“Thanks to the contributions of many countries led by Turkey, UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency ] continues its services,” al-Maliki told Anadolu Agency.
Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump cut Washington’s annual funding for UNRWA. The U.S. had been the agency’s largest contributor by far, providing it with $350 million each year — roughly a quarter of its overall budget.
According to UNWRA, nearly one-third of the registered Palestine refugees, more than 1.5 million individuals, live in 58 recognized Palestine refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Denying the reports that Arab countries are in the process of normalizing ties with Israel, al-Maliki said: “The main requirement for normalization is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem [al-Quds] as its capital on the 1967 borders.”
“We will not bow to any pressure on the Palestine cause. It is our duty to defend the Islamic values in Jerusalem in the name of the Muslim Ummah and Arabs,” he said.
The Palestinian Authority has made great efforts to punish Israel’s crimes against humanity in Gaza, al-Maliki added.
Some Arab states appear to be taking tentative steps toward normalizing relations with Israel.
These steps have reportedly included visits to Tel Aviv by Iraqi officials and Egypt’s recent admission that it was coordinating security efforts with Israel in the volatile Sinai Peninsula.
Israeli officials in recent months have also reportedly visited a number of Arab countries, including one such visit to Oman in October by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Nearly 50 countries, including Israel and several Arab states, reportedly confirmed their participation in the “Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East,” held jointly by the U.S. and Poland, took place in Warsaw, Poland on Feb. 13-14.
On several occasions, Israeli officials have spoken of “positive change” vis-à-vis diplomatic normalization with the Arab world — despite a continued lack of progress in the Israel-Palestine peace process.
“Thanks to the contributions of many countries led by Turkey, UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency ] continues its services,” al-Maliki told Anadolu Agency.
Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump cut Washington’s annual funding for UNRWA. The U.S. had been the agency’s largest contributor by far, providing it with $350 million each year — roughly a quarter of its overall budget.
According to UNWRA, nearly one-third of the registered Palestine refugees, more than 1.5 million individuals, live in 58 recognized Palestine refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Denying the reports that Arab countries are in the process of normalizing ties with Israel, al-Maliki said: “The main requirement for normalization is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem [al-Quds] as its capital on the 1967 borders.”
“We will not bow to any pressure on the Palestine cause. It is our duty to defend the Islamic values in Jerusalem in the name of the Muslim Ummah and Arabs,” he said.
The Palestinian Authority has made great efforts to punish Israel’s crimes against humanity in Gaza, al-Maliki added.
Some Arab states appear to be taking tentative steps toward normalizing relations with Israel.
These steps have reportedly included visits to Tel Aviv by Iraqi officials and Egypt’s recent admission that it was coordinating security efforts with Israel in the volatile Sinai Peninsula.
Israeli officials in recent months have also reportedly visited a number of Arab countries, including one such visit to Oman in October by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Nearly 50 countries, including Israel and several Arab states, reportedly confirmed their participation in the “Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East,” held jointly by the U.S. and Poland, took place in Warsaw, Poland on Feb. 13-14.
On several occasions, Israeli officials have spoken of “positive change” vis-à-vis diplomatic normalization with the Arab world — despite a continued lack of progress in the Israel-Palestine peace process.
10 mar 2019
The Government of Japan contributed an additional $7 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), on Sunday.
UNRWA said in a statement that from Japan’s contribution, $4.5 million will enable the agency to continue providing health care for Palestine refugees most in need of assistance in Lebanon and will support hospitalization to 6,000 Palestine refugees from Syria (PRS) and multi-purpose cash assistance to those displaced to Lebanon.
An additional $1.5 million will contribute to the agency’s humanitarian response to support Palestine refugees displaced from Yarmouk camp after eight years of conflict in Syria and another $1 million will be used for the provision of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) services for nearly 200,000 Palestine refugees in Lebanon.
The Japanese Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs and Representative of Japan to Palestine, Takeshi Okubo, said “I am very happy to share with you that the Government of Japan has decided to contribute $7 million to UNRWA for the project entitled ‘Emergency Grant Aid in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and Lebanon’ that is followed by the recent commitment of Japan to contribute $23 million to UNRWA from the supplementary budget of FY 2018.”
Okubo added, “We are determined more than ever to send a message to Palestine refugees through the assistance that 'a friend in need is a friend indeed. Japan will be there with you' at a time when the region is experiencing serious humanitarian crisis.”
The Chief Donor Relations Division of UNRWA, Marc Lassouaoui, thanked Okubo for his personal commitment to the agency and the Palestine refugees, stressing that “The Government of Japan has been exemplary in its support to the agency.”
He noted, “We deeply appreciate this very generous gesture towards this vulnerable community.”
UNRWA said in a statement that from Japan’s contribution, $4.5 million will enable the agency to continue providing health care for Palestine refugees most in need of assistance in Lebanon and will support hospitalization to 6,000 Palestine refugees from Syria (PRS) and multi-purpose cash assistance to those displaced to Lebanon.
An additional $1.5 million will contribute to the agency’s humanitarian response to support Palestine refugees displaced from Yarmouk camp after eight years of conflict in Syria and another $1 million will be used for the provision of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) services for nearly 200,000 Palestine refugees in Lebanon.
The Japanese Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs and Representative of Japan to Palestine, Takeshi Okubo, said “I am very happy to share with you that the Government of Japan has decided to contribute $7 million to UNRWA for the project entitled ‘Emergency Grant Aid in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and Lebanon’ that is followed by the recent commitment of Japan to contribute $23 million to UNRWA from the supplementary budget of FY 2018.”
Okubo added, “We are determined more than ever to send a message to Palestine refugees through the assistance that 'a friend in need is a friend indeed. Japan will be there with you' at a time when the region is experiencing serious humanitarian crisis.”
The Chief Donor Relations Division of UNRWA, Marc Lassouaoui, thanked Okubo for his personal commitment to the agency and the Palestine refugees, stressing that “The Government of Japan has been exemplary in its support to the agency.”
He noted, “We deeply appreciate this very generous gesture towards this vulnerable community.”
7 mar 2019
The government of Afghanistan contributed $1 million contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), on Thursday.
During a ceremony hosted by Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, along with the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki in Turkey’s capital of Istanbul, the ambassador of Afghanistan to Turkey, Abdul Rahim Sayed Jan, handed the contribution to Pierre Krahenbuhl, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA.
According to an UNRWA press release, Krahenbuhl described this contribution as an “immense gesture of great dignity.”
He added, “The Afghan decision to support Palestine refugees will be written in golden letters in the history of UNRWA. This is a message that we will carry around the world to inspire others to stand firmly with Palestine refugees. It is a symbol that the world has not forgotten them.”
Jan reiterated Afghanistan’s “historic position on Palestine,” which made “the decision to fund UNRWA very important one.”
During a ceremony hosted by Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, along with the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki in Turkey’s capital of Istanbul, the ambassador of Afghanistan to Turkey, Abdul Rahim Sayed Jan, handed the contribution to Pierre Krahenbuhl, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA.
According to an UNRWA press release, Krahenbuhl described this contribution as an “immense gesture of great dignity.”
He added, “The Afghan decision to support Palestine refugees will be written in golden letters in the history of UNRWA. This is a message that we will carry around the world to inspire others to stand firmly with Palestine refugees. It is a symbol that the world has not forgotten them.”
Jan reiterated Afghanistan’s “historic position on Palestine,” which made “the decision to fund UNRWA very important one.”
6 mar 2019
Indonesia announced a $1 million contribution for Palestinian refugees, according to a press release by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), on Wednesday.
The press release said that Indonesian Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, visited the UNRWA headquarters in the Jordanian capital of Amman where she met with Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl, during which Marsudi announced a $1 million contribution for Palestinian refugees, representing a five-fold increase of Indonesia’s support to UNRWA.
Marsudi said, “Palestine is at the heart of Indonesia’s foreign policy, and in the heart of Indonesian people. I know that UNRWA is facing another difficult year, so I wanted to come to you to show Indonesia’s support, hoping that this will attract increased support by other countries.”
Marsudi also visited an UNRWA school in Amman New Camp, meeting students and visiting a family of Palestine refugees, and conveyed a message of commitment and empowerment to female students.
Krahenbuhl expressed gratitude for Indonesia’s important partnership, saying “Our appreciation goes to Minister Marsudi, to the government, and people of Indonesia for the remarkable political and financial support to UNRWA. Today’s visit represents a source of great encouragement for our students and all our staff. We value the increase in funding and Indonesia’s important advocacy for the dignity of Palestine refugees in diverse international fora.”
The agreement will help provide important health services to about 29,000 Palestinian refugees and food assistance to over 9,500 individuals, living in and around Jerash refugee camp in Jordan.
The press release said that Indonesian Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, visited the UNRWA headquarters in the Jordanian capital of Amman where she met with Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl, during which Marsudi announced a $1 million contribution for Palestinian refugees, representing a five-fold increase of Indonesia’s support to UNRWA.
Marsudi said, “Palestine is at the heart of Indonesia’s foreign policy, and in the heart of Indonesian people. I know that UNRWA is facing another difficult year, so I wanted to come to you to show Indonesia’s support, hoping that this will attract increased support by other countries.”
Marsudi also visited an UNRWA school in Amman New Camp, meeting students and visiting a family of Palestine refugees, and conveyed a message of commitment and empowerment to female students.
Krahenbuhl expressed gratitude for Indonesia’s important partnership, saying “Our appreciation goes to Minister Marsudi, to the government, and people of Indonesia for the remarkable political and financial support to UNRWA. Today’s visit represents a source of great encouragement for our students and all our staff. We value the increase in funding and Indonesia’s important advocacy for the dignity of Palestine refugees in diverse international fora.”
The agreement will help provide important health services to about 29,000 Palestinian refugees and food assistance to over 9,500 individuals, living in and around Jerash refugee camp in Jordan.
5 mar 2019
Palestinian human rights activists Ibrahim al-Abadela has affirmed that the Palestinian young men who managed to enter Greece in pursuit of a better life in Europe are being exposed to torture, maltreatment and humiliation.
In remarks published by al-Resalah Net website, Abadela said that about 1,800 Palestinian young men are held in very harsh conditions in detention centers in Athens.
“There is a belief that whoever enters Greece will find a paradise, but this is a wrong belief that has caused disasters for many young people and many Palestinian families who came from Gaza,” the activist pointed out.
He affirmed that the Palestinian young men in Athens detention centers are exposed to physical assault and maltreatment by Greek police officers.
He also said that some of the young men who lived in Athens in very inhumane conditions were sent back to Turkey by the Greek authorities.
Many Palestinian young people used Greece as a transit station from Turkey to the European continent and risked their lives in Mediterranean waters.
According to Abadela, human rights reports documented the death of 18 young men from Gaza within the Greek territorial waters during the last two years, while there is still no information about the number of those who drowned in international waters.
In remarks published by al-Resalah Net website, Abadela said that about 1,800 Palestinian young men are held in very harsh conditions in detention centers in Athens.
“There is a belief that whoever enters Greece will find a paradise, but this is a wrong belief that has caused disasters for many young people and many Palestinian families who came from Gaza,” the activist pointed out.
He affirmed that the Palestinian young men in Athens detention centers are exposed to physical assault and maltreatment by Greek police officers.
He also said that some of the young men who lived in Athens in very inhumane conditions were sent back to Turkey by the Greek authorities.
Many Palestinian young people used Greece as a transit station from Turkey to the European continent and risked their lives in Mediterranean waters.
According to Abadela, human rights reports documented the death of 18 young men from Gaza within the Greek territorial waters during the last two years, while there is still no information about the number of those who drowned in international waters.
3 mar 2019
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has adopted a resolution approving the establishment of an endowment fund to ensure sustainable funding for UNRWA’s activities.
'The fund, approved by OIC foreign ministers, will be a financial instrument and operate within the purview of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank to raise funds from states and institutions that enable the UNRWA implement its relief, humanitarian, developmental, health and educational programs in support of the Palestinian refugees,'' OIC secretary-general Yousef al-Othaimeen told the Emirates News Agency.
Othaimeen made his remarks on the sidelines of the 46th session of the OIC’s council of foreign ministers, which concluded in Abu Dhabi on Saturday under the theme: "50 Years of Islamic Cooperation: Roadmap for Prosperity and Development."
The OIC chief affirmed the Organization’s commitment to support UNRWA and urged the international community to fulfill its obligations towards the Palestinian question and Palestinian refugees.
'The fund, approved by OIC foreign ministers, will be a financial instrument and operate within the purview of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank to raise funds from states and institutions that enable the UNRWA implement its relief, humanitarian, developmental, health and educational programs in support of the Palestinian refugees,'' OIC secretary-general Yousef al-Othaimeen told the Emirates News Agency.
Othaimeen made his remarks on the sidelines of the 46th session of the OIC’s council of foreign ministers, which concluded in Abu Dhabi on Saturday under the theme: "50 Years of Islamic Cooperation: Roadmap for Prosperity and Development."
The OIC chief affirmed the Organization’s commitment to support UNRWA and urged the international community to fulfill its obligations towards the Palestinian question and Palestinian refugees.
28 feb 2019
UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krähebühl (left) and EU Representative Ralph Tarraf (right) shake hands after signing the EU-UNRWA contribution agreement of EUR 82 million at UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem on 27 February 2019. © 2019 UNRWA Photo by Marwan Baghdadi
The European Union Representative, Ralph Tarraf, and the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Pierre Krähenbühl, at UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, signed the EU-UNRWA contribution agreement, in support of the Agency’s 2019 Programme Budget.
Under this agreement, the EU provides a vital contribution of EUR 82 million, in support of the human development work of UNRWA, for this year. In light of the Agency’s ongoing financial challenges, the EU has agreed to provide the totality of its funding immediately, upon the signature of the agreement.
The new contribution will help preserve access to education for 532,000 children, provide primary health care for more than 3.5 million patients and assistance to over 250,000 acutely vulnerable Palestine refugees, as well as a multitude of other services, at a time of extreme instability across the Middle East region.
For over four decades, the European Union has established itself as a key strategic partner for the Agency, supporting UNRWA in its efforts to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development despite their difficult circumstances. In 2018, as the Agency faced its most significant financial shortfall since its inception, the EU emerged as the Agency’s largest donor. Building on decades of commitment and partnership, the EU has maintained its generous level of support to assist Palestine refugees.
“We greatly value the outstanding commitment shown by the European Union to preserving the dignity and addressing the needs of Palestine refugees”, said Pierre Krähenbühl. “The generosity and consistency of the EU’s cooperation deserves the highest recognition. It allowed UNRWA to open its schools on time, for the 2018-2019 scholastic year, and was a major factor in last year’s successful campaign to overcome our existential funding crisis. We are proud of this partnership and look forward to developing it further at this critical time”, he added.
The EU Representative in Jerusalem, Ralph Tarraf, said: “On a daily basis, UNRWA provides Palestine refugees with essential services including education, health and relief assistance, while promoting socio-economic development and stability in the Middle East. The EU and its Member States are proud to support UNRWA’s work in providing these services to Palestine refugees, which should be seen as an inseparable part of the EU’s efforts to reach a negotiated two-state solution and a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Supporting UNRWA will remain one of the pillars of our Middle East peace policy.”
PNN further reports that the EU’s commitment to Palestine refugees includes unprecedented support for the Agency’s education programme through its Healthy Living, Healthy Spacescampaign. In 2018 alone, the EU rehabilitated some 65 UNRWA installations, including schools and health centres across the Middle East.
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA programme budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s programme budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency, established by the General Assembly in 1949, and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5.4 million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA across its five fields of operation. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
The European Union Representative, Ralph Tarraf, and the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Pierre Krähenbühl, at UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, signed the EU-UNRWA contribution agreement, in support of the Agency’s 2019 Programme Budget.
Under this agreement, the EU provides a vital contribution of EUR 82 million, in support of the human development work of UNRWA, for this year. In light of the Agency’s ongoing financial challenges, the EU has agreed to provide the totality of its funding immediately, upon the signature of the agreement.
The new contribution will help preserve access to education for 532,000 children, provide primary health care for more than 3.5 million patients and assistance to over 250,000 acutely vulnerable Palestine refugees, as well as a multitude of other services, at a time of extreme instability across the Middle East region.
For over four decades, the European Union has established itself as a key strategic partner for the Agency, supporting UNRWA in its efforts to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development despite their difficult circumstances. In 2018, as the Agency faced its most significant financial shortfall since its inception, the EU emerged as the Agency’s largest donor. Building on decades of commitment and partnership, the EU has maintained its generous level of support to assist Palestine refugees.
“We greatly value the outstanding commitment shown by the European Union to preserving the dignity and addressing the needs of Palestine refugees”, said Pierre Krähenbühl. “The generosity and consistency of the EU’s cooperation deserves the highest recognition. It allowed UNRWA to open its schools on time, for the 2018-2019 scholastic year, and was a major factor in last year’s successful campaign to overcome our existential funding crisis. We are proud of this partnership and look forward to developing it further at this critical time”, he added.
The EU Representative in Jerusalem, Ralph Tarraf, said: “On a daily basis, UNRWA provides Palestine refugees with essential services including education, health and relief assistance, while promoting socio-economic development and stability in the Middle East. The EU and its Member States are proud to support UNRWA’s work in providing these services to Palestine refugees, which should be seen as an inseparable part of the EU’s efforts to reach a negotiated two-state solution and a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Supporting UNRWA will remain one of the pillars of our Middle East peace policy.”
PNN further reports that the EU’s commitment to Palestine refugees includes unprecedented support for the Agency’s education programme through its Healthy Living, Healthy Spacescampaign. In 2018 alone, the EU rehabilitated some 65 UNRWA installations, including schools and health centres across the Middle East.
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA programme budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s programme budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency, established by the General Assembly in 1949, and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5.4 million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA across its five fields of operation. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.