Palestinian UN envoy urges continued European support for UNRWA

Palestine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, has stressed the vital role of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in supporting the Palestinian people and helping them remain on their land.

Mansour said a Palestinian delegation had visited France and Belgium and met European Union officials, as well as Spanish representatives, to urge Europe to continue and increase its funding for UNRWA, both collectively through the EU and individually through member states.

Speaking on the Cairo News programme Today’s File, he said Arab countries could also increase their contributions to help cover UNRWA’s funding shortfall.

He said UNRWA plays a vital role in helping Palestinians remain on their land by providing essential services, including in Gaza. He added that around 40 per cent of the aid distributed in the Gaza Strip is delivered through UNRWA, saying the agency is “present in every home and everywhere”.

Mansour said the Palestinian mission at the United Nations remains one of the agency’s strongest supporters. He added that the Palestinian government, led by Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, had visited Brussels a few days earlier and met EU officials to seek financial support to ensure the Palestinian Authority remains operational.

He said the Palestinian Authority is “the embryo of the Palestinian state”, accusing Israel of seeking to prevent it from developing into a functioning state.