Canada and Sweden resume funding to UN agency for Palestinian refugees, drawing flak from Israel
- The two nations were among those who had suspended aid to the UNRWA after claims that some staff were involved in the October 7 attack by Hamas
- Agency chief Philippe Lazzarini says he is ‘cautiously optimistic more countries would resume their funding in the coming weeks
Israel on Saturday slammed Canada and Sweden for resuming aid to the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, reiterating claims that UNRWA staff in Gaza were involved in “terrorist activity”.
Supporting UNRWA, which has been central to humanitarian efforts in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, was a “serious mistake”, the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement.
Canada and Sweden announced over the weekend they were resuming funding for the cash-strapped UN agency, weeks after having suspended it over Israeli accusations that several UNRWA employees were involved in the Hamas attack that triggered the ongoing war.
Israel’s foreign ministry called on both governments to cut funding and “not support an organisation whose ranks include hundreds of members of the Hamas terrorist organisation”.
The renewed aid, according to the Israeli statement, showed that Canada and Sweden had chosen “to ignore the involvement of UNRWA employees in terrorist activity”.
