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Belgium allocates 19 mn euro for UNRWA

BRUSSELS, Jan 17 (KUNA) -- Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo announced Wednesday his decision to allocate 19 million euro (USD 23 million) over the next three years to UNRWA, the United Nations agency which provides humanitarian help to Palestinian refugees .
This is In response to the call of UNRWA's Commissioner General Pierre Krhenbuhl, said De Croo in a statement.
"I have a lot of respect for UNRWA's work, which has to operate in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances. Living conditions in Gaza, Syria, the West bank and elsewhere in the region are particularly tough. For a lot of Palestinian refugees the UNRWA is the last life buoy," said the Belgian minister.
He said that considering the financial difficulties which UNRWA currently faces, the Belgian annual contribution will be disbursed immediately. The US government decided yesterday to suspend half of its support to UNRWA.
UNRWA was established in 1949 in order to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees, who in the aftermath of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War numbered about 700,000. Today, UNRWA offers to approximately five million Palestine refugees services such as education, health care and housing.
UNRWA is active in Palestinian occupied territories, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. It also defends the rights of Palestinian refugees, in line with international law. (end) nk.rk