13 feb 2019
A number of Palestinian refugees from Syria joined a vigil staged outside of the UNRWA office in the Jordanian capital city of Amman, protesting the agency’s poor services.
The refugees urged the agency to shell out its monthly allowances so as to help the refugees pay their rental fees and other charges, including power and water bills.
They further called for enhancing vital services and increasing aids allotted to the refugees.
Over recent months, the committee speaking on behalf of the displaced Palestinian refugees from Syria in Jordan lashed out at UNRWA for turning its back on the refugees’ demands, which they voiced during their sit-ins outside of the agency’s office in Amman.
UNRWA staff members pledged to take the refugees’ demands into serious consideration. However, none of their promises were translated into action.
Some 17,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria have been taking shelter in Jordan, fleeing war-ragged Syria. They have been enduring abject living conditions as a result of the high rates of unemployment and lack of access to the local labor market.
The refugees urged the agency to shell out its monthly allowances so as to help the refugees pay their rental fees and other charges, including power and water bills.
They further called for enhancing vital services and increasing aids allotted to the refugees.
Over recent months, the committee speaking on behalf of the displaced Palestinian refugees from Syria in Jordan lashed out at UNRWA for turning its back on the refugees’ demands, which they voiced during their sit-ins outside of the agency’s office in Amman.
UNRWA staff members pledged to take the refugees’ demands into serious consideration. However, none of their promises were translated into action.
Some 17,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria have been taking shelter in Jordan, fleeing war-ragged Syria. They have been enduring abject living conditions as a result of the high rates of unemployment and lack of access to the local labor market.
10 feb 2019
Two young Palestinian men were killed, Saturday, and many others were injured, after a boat, filled with immigrants, capsized while they were trying to sail to Spain to seek better living conditions.
Media sources said that the Algerian coastguards were informed about the capsized boat, transporting eighteen persons, including the two Palestinians, to Spain.
The al-Masri family in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, has confirmed that their son, Abdullah Mohammad al-Masri, has drowned to death.
They added that the Abdullah was with his Algerian Fiancée, and four men from his family.
Another Palestinian, identified as Monir Abu Sharkh, 43, also drowned to death, and the Algerian coastguards initiated a search in an attempt to locate survivors among the eighteen immigrants, mainly Palestinians, who were onboard.
In October of 2018, a boat, filled with immigrants capsized off the coast of Bodrum resort town, northwest of Turkey, leading to the death two children, including a Palestinian child from Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Media sources said that the Algerian coastguards were informed about the capsized boat, transporting eighteen persons, including the two Palestinians, to Spain.
The al-Masri family in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, has confirmed that their son, Abdullah Mohammad al-Masri, has drowned to death.
They added that the Abdullah was with his Algerian Fiancée, and four men from his family.
Another Palestinian, identified as Monir Abu Sharkh, 43, also drowned to death, and the Algerian coastguards initiated a search in an attempt to locate survivors among the eighteen immigrants, mainly Palestinians, who were onboard.
In October of 2018, a boat, filled with immigrants capsized off the coast of Bodrum resort town, northwest of Turkey, leading to the death two children, including a Palestinian child from Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
22 jan 2019
The Italian government donated 1.5 million Euros to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) which would allow the agency to provide medical services for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
The Italian government’s donation will allow UNRWA to provide hospital services and financial support to around 1,500 Palestinian refugees moving from Syria to Lebanon."
An agreement was signed for this purpose between the Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Massimo Marotti, and UNRWA Director, Claudio Cordoni.
Marotti said, “Italy appreciates Lebanon's efforts in supporting Syrian refugees and it will continue to assist the Lebanese government in the future.”
During 2017-2018, UNRWA received some 3.75 million Euros from the Italian government in support of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
UNRWA suffered a financial crisis after the United States announced the reduction of financial support to the agency from $350 million to $60 million, in order "to urge the Palestinians to resume negotiations with Israel."
The contributions from the US made up a third of the agency's budget, according to UNRWA's website.
UNRWA provides services to some 5.4 million Palestinian refugees registered with the agency across its five fields of operation, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Its services include education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
The Italian government’s donation will allow UNRWA to provide hospital services and financial support to around 1,500 Palestinian refugees moving from Syria to Lebanon."
An agreement was signed for this purpose between the Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Massimo Marotti, and UNRWA Director, Claudio Cordoni.
Marotti said, “Italy appreciates Lebanon's efforts in supporting Syrian refugees and it will continue to assist the Lebanese government in the future.”
During 2017-2018, UNRWA received some 3.75 million Euros from the Italian government in support of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
UNRWA suffered a financial crisis after the United States announced the reduction of financial support to the agency from $350 million to $60 million, in order "to urge the Palestinians to resume negotiations with Israel."
The contributions from the US made up a third of the agency's budget, according to UNRWA's website.
UNRWA provides services to some 5.4 million Palestinian refugees registered with the agency across its five fields of operation, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Its services include education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
20 jan 2019
The Israeli occupation authorities are reportedly set to revoke permits for Palestinian schools in occupied Jerusalem run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
The move would come as the latest strike against the UN Relief and Works Agency, which has seen its budget slashed by the US and its activities in occupied Jerusalem increasingly curtailed by Israel.
Israel’s National Security Council decided to revoke permits allowing UNRWA schools in the occupied city to operate, starting next school year, Israel’s Hadashot TV news reported Saturday.
According to the report, the UNRWA schools will be replaced by schools run by Israel’s Jerusalem municipality and under the aegis of the Israeli Education Ministry.
The network said the decision was reached during a National Security Council meeting last month to discuss expelling UNRWA from occupied Jerusalem following US President Donald Trump’s decision to end American funding for the agency.
Israel claims occupied East Jerusalem as part of its undivided capital, in a move largely unrecognized internationally, and has sought in recent months to push the UN Palestinian refugee agency out of the city.
Prior to the end of his tenure last month, Jerusalem mayor Nir Bakat detailed a proposal to expel UNRWA from occupied Jerusalem and have the Israeli municipality control education, health, welfare, and sanitation services in its place.
Barakat also gave details of a plan prepared by a team of city officials and experts to replace all of UNRWA’s functions with municipal services in the Shuafat refugee camp, founded in 1965 and home to some 20,000 Palestinian refugees.
The plan comes after the Trump administration announced it was cutting nearly $300 million in planned funding for UNRWA, and said that it would no longer back the agency after decades of support. Washington has also cut other aid to the Palestinians in a bid to pressure the Palestinian Authority into negotiations with the Israeli occupation.
Barkat proposed to expropriate or lease the existing UNRWA schools to use as municipal buildings, and in addition will construct an educational and municipal services complex.
In case such proposed Israeli measures will be put into effect, some 1,200 Palestinian students enrolled at three UNRWA schools in Shu’fat refugee camp and 150 children enrolled at a UNRWA school in Wadi al-Jouz, along with some 500 children and teens registered at schools run by the agency in Silwan and Sur Baher will be prevented from accessing UNRWA schools to pursue their studies.
The move would come as the latest strike against the UN Relief and Works Agency, which has seen its budget slashed by the US and its activities in occupied Jerusalem increasingly curtailed by Israel.
Israel’s National Security Council decided to revoke permits allowing UNRWA schools in the occupied city to operate, starting next school year, Israel’s Hadashot TV news reported Saturday.
According to the report, the UNRWA schools will be replaced by schools run by Israel’s Jerusalem municipality and under the aegis of the Israeli Education Ministry.
The network said the decision was reached during a National Security Council meeting last month to discuss expelling UNRWA from occupied Jerusalem following US President Donald Trump’s decision to end American funding for the agency.
Israel claims occupied East Jerusalem as part of its undivided capital, in a move largely unrecognized internationally, and has sought in recent months to push the UN Palestinian refugee agency out of the city.
Prior to the end of his tenure last month, Jerusalem mayor Nir Bakat detailed a proposal to expel UNRWA from occupied Jerusalem and have the Israeli municipality control education, health, welfare, and sanitation services in its place.
Barakat also gave details of a plan prepared by a team of city officials and experts to replace all of UNRWA’s functions with municipal services in the Shuafat refugee camp, founded in 1965 and home to some 20,000 Palestinian refugees.
The plan comes after the Trump administration announced it was cutting nearly $300 million in planned funding for UNRWA, and said that it would no longer back the agency after decades of support. Washington has also cut other aid to the Palestinians in a bid to pressure the Palestinian Authority into negotiations with the Israeli occupation.
Barkat proposed to expropriate or lease the existing UNRWA schools to use as municipal buildings, and in addition will construct an educational and municipal services complex.
In case such proposed Israeli measures will be put into effect, some 1,200 Palestinian students enrolled at three UNRWA schools in Shu’fat refugee camp and 150 children enrolled at a UNRWA school in Wadi al-Jouz, along with some 500 children and teens registered at schools run by the agency in Silwan and Sur Baher will be prevented from accessing UNRWA schools to pursue their studies.
13 jan 2019
Palestinian families taking refuge in I’zaz Camp, north of Syria, continue to launch distress signals over the dramatic spread of rodents, particularly rats, in the area, the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria (AGPS) reported on Sunday.
Activist Ammar al-Qudusi, also member of the Association of Displaced Palestinians, said a child was bitten by a rat in his lower lip, adding that at least 13 more persons, among them a two-month toddler, suffered rat bites.
He slammed local authorities for their apathy regarding the issue, saying the use of arsenic poisoning by the camp administration to kill rats has gone fruitless.
The residents raised concerns over the safety of their children owing to the propagation of lethal infections and fever, among other illnesses caused by rat bites.
Activist Ammar al-Qudusi, also member of the Association of Displaced Palestinians, said a child was bitten by a rat in his lower lip, adding that at least 13 more persons, among them a two-month toddler, suffered rat bites.
He slammed local authorities for their apathy regarding the issue, saying the use of arsenic poisoning by the camp administration to kill rats has gone fruitless.
The residents raised concerns over the safety of their children owing to the propagation of lethal infections and fever, among other illnesses caused by rat bites.
6 jan 2019
The Action Group for the Palestinians of Syria (AGPS) slammed the Syrian authorities for preventing Yarmouk residents from removing dead bodies stranded beneath the mounds of debris piled up in the warfare.
AGPS urged the international human rights institutions to immediately step in and pressurize the Syrian government to green-light taking out Palestinian dead bodies from underneath the debris.
According to AGPS data, over 80 cadavers have been left under the mounds of rubble into which civilian homes have been turned in government offensives on the camp.
The list reportedly includes bodies of civilians and ISIS gunmen who were hiding in the area.
The Syrian security forces obstructed the work of Palestinian Red Crescent staff members who attempted to get into the area and pull the dead bodies.
The Syrian authorities claimed the ban comes on account that the cadavers’ identities remain unknown and that none of their relatives has showed up in the area.
Over recent months, tension has been running high in the area after pro-government militias in Syria figured in pictures and videos while stealing civilian property and looting homes in Yarmouk Camp.
A military offensive launched by the Syrian government forces and their Russian abettors in April 2018 led to the government takeover of Yarmouk Camp and other ISIS-held zones south of Damascus.
AGPS urged the international human rights institutions to immediately step in and pressurize the Syrian government to green-light taking out Palestinian dead bodies from underneath the debris.
According to AGPS data, over 80 cadavers have been left under the mounds of rubble into which civilian homes have been turned in government offensives on the camp.
The list reportedly includes bodies of civilians and ISIS gunmen who were hiding in the area.
The Syrian security forces obstructed the work of Palestinian Red Crescent staff members who attempted to get into the area and pull the dead bodies.
The Syrian authorities claimed the ban comes on account that the cadavers’ identities remain unknown and that none of their relatives has showed up in the area.
Over recent months, tension has been running high in the area after pro-government militias in Syria figured in pictures and videos while stealing civilian property and looting homes in Yarmouk Camp.
A military offensive launched by the Syrian government forces and their Russian abettors in April 2018 led to the government takeover of Yarmouk Camp and other ISIS-held zones south of Damascus.
