Israel is disappointed that Spain continues to finance UNRWA

The Israeli Minister of the Diaspora, Amichai Chikli, affirmed this Tuesday that the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) “is Hamas”, and noted that Israel is “extremely disappointed” that Spain has not withdrawn its funding to the agency, following the accusation against some of its employees of having participated in the attack by the Islamist group on October 7.

“The Spanish Government is playing a very negative role until now (…) We are extremely disappointed,” the official responded to EFE at a press conference in Jerusalem.

“UNRWA is Hamas, it is led by Hamas,” the minister added, explaining that the Islamist group, which took de facto control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, would not allow any agency to operate in that territory that is not aligned. with your interests.

“Gaza is not a democratic entity, you basically have two options, one is to be Hamas and the other is to be thrown from the roof of some building,” he said.

UNRWA is “very corrupt” and Hamas leaders employ their relatives so that they receive “very high salaries,” he argued.

The US and 15 other countries have already canceled their contribution

Israel claims that a dozen UNRWA workers participated in the attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and another 250 were kidnapped in Israeli towns near Gaza.

The Agency announced on January 26 the immediate dismissal of 13 members of its staff, and the beginning of an investigation into their involvement in the attack.

The United States, Israel’s main partner and arms supplier, was the first of sixteen countries that decided to suspend its funding to UNRWA.

Other countries that have joined this suspension are Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, Romania and Japan, as well as the three Baltic countries.

Of the other large donors – with contributions above 10 million dollars per year – only Spain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium maintain their contributions, as do Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, which have decided to wait for the results of the elections. open investigations to make a decision.

Criticism of Pedro Sánchez for his position on the conflict

The European Union also announced yesterday that it will continue “without ceasing its essential aid” to the Palestinians in Gaza and will make a decision on financing UNRWA, whose role is “vital”, when the result of the investigation is known.

Minister Chikli recalled that Israel was also “disappointed” by the actions of the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, during a tour of the Middle East in November.

On that occasion, Sánchez criticized the high number of victims in Gaza due to the war – currently more than 26,700, most of them children and women -, he was firm with the Spanish proposal to recognize a Palestinian State, and then said he had “frank doubts.” that (Israel) is complying with international humanitarian law” in its offensive.

More than 2 million Gazans, currently displaced by war in the midst of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, depend on the humanitarian aid provided by UNRWA, which has more than 30,000 employees and is the largest organization in Gaza outside the Government of Hamas.

Israel accuses UNRWA of indoctrinating its school students with hatred of Israel, while the Israeli military has found Hamas tunnels next to or under the agency’s facilities in Gaza. With EFE

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