FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2020

CONTACT:
Laila Mokhiber, Director of Communications
laila@unrwausa.org

WASHINGTON — In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is providing vital healthcare, education, and sanitization services to an already vulnerable Palestine refugee population. This global health crisis has only exacerbated the insecurity that many refugees experience on a daily basis, as well as the financial crisis the Agency continues to face, as its health centers work toward combating the spread of the virus across the Middle East. 

Now more than ever, it is imperative that humanitarian agencies such as UNRWA are receiving reliable and substantial financial assistance. In submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, Mara Kronenfeld, Executive Director of the UNRWA USA National Committee (UNRWA USA) is calling upon Congress to reverse the Trump administration’s 2018 decision to terminate humanitarian funding for the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. Further, UNRWA USA is calling on Congress to restore funding at the previous annual levels of $360 million for UNRWA and $225 million for related Economic Support Fund (ESF) programs in the West Bank and Gaza.

“Among the heartbreaking ironies of this administration’s decision to terminate humanitarian funding is the fact that we now find UNRWA’s 144 health centers on the front lines of combating a global pandemic as the coronavirus rapidly spreads across the world,” Kronenfeld said.

UNRWA USA, a separate nonprofit corporation from UNRWA, a UN agency, works to promote a life of dignity and human development for Palestine refugees by informing the American public about UNRWA’s work and generating support for its humanitarian programs across the Middle East. In 2019, UNRWA USA raised $2.7 million toward UNRWA’s program and emergency assistance budgets, which provide food and cash assistance, as well as life-changing education and mental health programs, to 5.6 million Palestine refugees. 

Kronenfeld urges lawmakers to utilize the legislative branch’s authority over appropriations to restore the funding: “UNRWA is the only entity capable of providing basic healthcare essential to the Palestine refugee population across the Middle East during this global pandemic. This is a critical moment  to increase funding to civilian humanitarian workers not to withhold it.” She concluded by saying “We strongly urge [Chairwoman Lowey] to continue the effort [the] Subcommittee began last year and restore this crucial humanitarian funding before it’s too late.”  

The statement as submitted to Congress can be found online.

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ABOUT UNRWA USA

UNRWA USA is an independent nonprofit organization that provides support for the humanitarian work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). UNRWA USA aims to educate the general American public about the situation of Palestine refugees and generate support for UNRWA’s programs. US taxpayers are eligible for tax deductions for donations made through UNRWA USA.

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