The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) in London calls on donor countries to pledge its promises to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (URWA) and enable the agency to fulfill its mandate.

“UNRWA is the life blood for Palestinian Refugees, if its unable to do its job, then a major crisis will befall Palestinian Refugees. Health, education, and other vital social services will be paralyzed”, said Mr Al Zeer, PRC General Director.

The centre contacted UNRWA to learn of the impending cuts to its budget. According to UNRWA, the donor countries have not fully approved the UNRWA budge for this year as a whole. Given countries have not fully meet their pledge; UNRWA accordingly was obliged to reduce its services.

PRC sent letters to donor countries asking them to meet their responsibility and the pledges they have made. PRC warned that weakening UNRWA’s capacity will not help in bringing stability to the region.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) have been serving the Palestinian refugees at home and in Diaspora for the past 6 decades.  It was established following the expulsion of 750,000 Palestinians in 1948 by Israel.

The current cuts in basic services for those refugees registered with UNRWA, numbering 4.8 million will be a terrible blow for Palestinians. The extremely challenged refugee communities, will face even grimmer prospect if health, social, labor and educational services are further diminished.

In the Gaza Strip, Emergency Project has faced steep cuts. The beneficiaries of Emergency projects, numbering 700,000, have been receiving aid for the last 10 years.   With threats of this new cut 120,000 people will become ineligible for emergency assistance. They will be lift in despair, unemployment and frustration.

UNRWA has also stopped the allowance support which grants each Refugee student less than 20 dollar a month as family support. Job creation projects are suspended. On top of all of this, those refugees suffer from an endless siege imposed by the state of Israel.