Palestine criticizes US plan of quashing the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees

Ramallah: ‘The United States has started movements to shut down the ‘United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees’ (UNRWA), an institution working for the welfare of the refugees from the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The United States is acting on the Israeli demand and Palestine will never allow this to plan succeed,’ criticised the Palestinian government.

A few days ago, a magazine in the United States had published certain information. This had reference to an e-mail written by Jared Kushner, son-in-law and senior advisor to President Trump, in the month of January. The e-mail stated that the efforts for closure of the ‘United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees’, providing help to the Palestinian refugees were already underway. The magazine claimed that Kushner along with other White House officials were involved in planning the move.

The magazine also mentioned the accusations levelled by Kushner on the ‘United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees’. “It is important to have an honest and sincere effort to disrupt UNRWA,” ’ Kushner wrote in an e-mail. The US magazine claimed that the e-mail contained a demand for closure of this institution accusing the organisation to be corrupt, inefficient and a hinderance in the way of efforts for peace.

The magazine has reported that Kushner had a discussion with Jordan about the matter. In the past, Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations had accused the UN institution for refugees of being partisan and taking decisions against the Israeli interests. The United States had also complained that although the United States is the maximum contributor to the institution’s funding, the institution does not pay attention to the United States’ requests.

Based on the information reported in the US magazine, the Palestinian government in the West Bank has criticised the United States. ‘The United States is fulfilling the Israeli demands ignoring the facts. But we will not allow it to succeed in their move to stop the efforts being made for the Palestinians,’ announced Nabil Shaath, advisor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

At the same time, Abbas declared that Palestine will not be accepting the peace proposal presented by Kushner. Even in the past, Abbas had avoided peace talks with Israel refusing the United States mediation.

Meanwhile, after the news report carried by the US magazine, the Palestinian leaders have severely criticised the United States. But neither Kushner nor the White House has confirmed or denied the information published by the magazine.