APAwire - APAwire CLIENTS ONLY, Gaza - 14 September 2021. Palestinians take part in a protest against the the United States and UNRWA signing a Framework for Cooperation, in Gaza city.
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SOUNDBITE (in Arabic) Imad al-Agha, a member of the leadership in the Fatah movement.
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SOUNDBITE (in Arabic) Mohammad Al-Madhoun, a leader in Hamas and responsible for the refugee department in Hamas.
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SOUNDBITE (in Arabic) Mahmoud Khalaf, a leader in the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and head of the movement's refugee department.
STORYLINE
On July 7, the United States announced an additional contribution of $135.8 million to UNRWA. The funding announcement coincided with the United States and UNRWA signing a Framework for Cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance, human development and protection of Palestinian refugees.
The Framework for Cooperation states, “The US will not make any contributions to UNRWA except on the condition that UNRWA takes all feasible measures to ensure that no part of the US contribution is used to assist any refugee receiving military training".
Hamas rejected the UNRWA statement, said that the statement diverts attention from the "real criminal and the crimes of the Israeli occupation, which is responsible for everything that is happening against the Palestinian people.”
Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA media adviser in Gaza, said to journalists , “The UNRWA statement issued on Aug. 11 expresses its official position, and we have no further comments.”
The issue is not UNRWA's installations and schools. Rather, it means that UNRWA will interfere in the educational curricula and employees who may be accused under the US terrorist list.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
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