Jordan holds Palestinian refugee donor conference

Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib on Monday opened a two-day meeting of host and donor countries of Palestinian refugees, underscoring the importance of the world community's continued support to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). He warned that the continuation of the current economic and military blockade of the Palestinian territories could lead to a "humanitarian and political catastrophe that affects the interests of all states of the region and the entire world." "The critical political situation through which the region and the Palestinian issue is passing makes it imperative for the world community to continue its support for the UNRWA to enable it to carry on looking after more than four Palestinian refugees," Khatib said.