Hamas on Saturday denounced the decision by the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to renew a framework agreement for the year 2023-2024 with the US.
Hamas called on UNRWA to immediately retract the agreement and “provide all political and legal support to Palestinian refugees.”
The Framework for Cooperation was signed last week during a virtual signing ceremony. It reaffirms the US commitment to support UNRWA, its mandate, and the rights of Palestinian refugees and establishes shared goals and priorities.
The agreement sets forth understandings between UNRWA and the US. It includes multiple specific commitments to advance UNRWA’s ability to deliver effective and efficient aid to Palestinian refugees through strengthened accountability, transparency, and consistency with UN principles, including neutrality.
According to the agreement, the US and UNRWA share concerns about the threat of terrorism, including within the context of the UN’s firm commitment to counter-terrorism. It stipulates that “no contributions by the US shall be made to UNRWA except on the condition that [UNRWA] take all possible measures to assure that no part of the US contribution shall be used to furnish assistance to any refugee who is receiving military training …or who has engaged in any act of terrorism.”
On Friday, the US announced a contribution of $153.7 million to UNRWA in support of humanitarian assistance, human development, and protection of Palestinian refugees,” according to a statement by UNRWA.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarani said the contribution will help the agency keep more than 700 schools and 140 health centers open over the next months. “To us, this is a sign of trust and a trait of good donorship that we encourage other partners to follow,” Lazzarani added.
In 2018, the administration of former US president Donald Trump ended all funding for UNRWA, describing the agency as “irredeemably flawed.” The Palestinian Authority then condemned the decision as an “assault” against the Palestinian people.
Hamas displeased with US support for UNRWA
In response to the renewal of the US-UNRWA deal, Hamas said the agreement “once again reflects the agency’s acquiescence to American pressure under the pretext of the financial crisis.”
Hamas said in a statement that UNRWA, through the mandate granted to it, is not “neutral, but rather its duty is to provide a decent life for Palestinian refugees and support them in obtaining their political and civil rights, foremost of which is the right of return and self-determination.”
Hamas warned that “the most dangerous thing in this agreement is that the alleged neutrality extends beyond the agency to affect the refugees who are struggling to obtain their legitimate rights within the framework of international law.”
Hamas claimed the financial crisis in UNRWA is crisis is “artificial” with the aim of undermining the agency.
The Gaza-based terror group said that UNRWA’s management should search for solutions to the financial crisis “away from any agreements that contradict its mandate, especially with the US administration that is completely and unconditionally biased in favor of the Zionist enemy."