SPAIN WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT UNRWA DESPITE POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT OF SOME MEMBERS IN HAMAS ATTACKS
By Eduardo González, The Diplomat in Spain
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, assured today, January 29, 2024, in the Congress of Deputies that Spain will maintain the same “relationship” with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), but will follow “closely the internal investigation” into the alleged involvement of some of its workers in the Hamas attacks.
“We will not modify our relationship with UNRWA, although we are closely following the internal investigation and the result it may yield for the acts of a dozen people” in an organization that has “30,000 workers,” the minister assured the Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee. According to Albares, UNRWA is “an indispensable body in order to alleviate the tremendous humanitarian situation in Gaza”.
Last Friday, UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini announced the expulsion of a dozen UNRWA workers and the opening of an immediate investigation against them after Israeli authorities provided him with information “on the alleged involvement of several employees in the horrific attacks against Israel on October 7.”
Following the news, several countries froze their contributions to the organization pending the results of the investigation, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany and Japan. UN Secretary General António Guterres has called on the international community not to suspend its support for the agency, and while admitting that “the alleged horrendous acts of those employees must have consequences,” he has also called for the “tens of thousands of people” working at the agency not to be penalized. The European Commission has announced that it will review UNRWA’s funding in light of the “very serious allegations” related to the involvement of some of its staff in the “heinous attacks” of October 7.
The second vice-president of the Spanish government and leader of Sumar (minority partner in the coalition government), Yolanda Díaz, has asked that funding to the agency not be cut and has even demanded that Spain “increase its contribution to an organization that is essential for the Palestinian people”.
Throughout 2023, the government provided 18.5 million euros in voluntary contributions to UNRWA. “We have tripled aid to Palestine, reaching almost 50 million euros, including our support to an indispensable body such as the UN agency, UNRWA, in order to alleviate the tremendous humanitarian situation in Gaza,” Albares reminded the Foreign Affairs Committee.
In response to Albares’ words, the PP spokesman, Carlos Floriano, admitted that “there should be no lack of aid for the Palestinian people”, but warned that Spain cannot remain “standing idly by in the face of the seriousness of the accusations”.
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This text was published in The Diplomat in Spain and in Aquí Europa, with whose authorization we reproduce it here.
