Lammy confirms UK government has resumed funding for UNRWA
Foreign secretary tells parliament he was reassured that the agency had taken steps to 'ensure it meets the highest standards of neutrality'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
David Lammy has confirmed the UK government is resuming funding for UNRWA, the UN Palestinian refugee agency in Gaza.
In a Commons starement the foreign secretary said the government will now provide £21m in new funding.
Lammy told parliament he was reassured that the agency had taken steps to “ensure it meets the highest standards of neutrality”.
The Labour minister also used his statement to condemn the attack on Tel Aviv overnight.
He said:”Israel is in a tough neighbourhood, threatened by those who want it annihilated.
“I fully supported the UK’s role in defending Israel when Iran launched its attack.
“And I utterly condemn the Houthi attack on Tel Aviv overnight.”
The UK, in line with other nations had suspended funding to UNRWA over allegations that some employees had been supportive of Hamas following the 7 October attacks.
Lammy told the Commons on Friday: “Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe, and it is aid agencies who ensure UK support reaches civilians on the ground.
“UNRWA is absolutely central to these efforts. No other agency can deliver aid at the scale needed. It’s already feeding over half of Gaza’s population. It will be vital for future reconstruction, and it provides critical services to Palestinian refugees in the region.”
He went on: “Partners like Japan, the European Union and Norway have now acted. This government will act too.
“I can confirm to the house that we are overturning the suspension of UNRWA funding.”
It now leaves the United States as the only country not to have restored funding to the agency.
Lammy’s announcement was not unexpected, and the previous Conservative government had said they were on the brink of restoring funding themselves.
He added:”“I was appalled by the allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the seventh of October attacks.
“But the UN took these allegations seriously. I’ve spoken to UN secretary-general Guterres and commissioner Lazzarini. We are reassured that after Catherine Colonna’s independent review UNRWA is ensuring they meet the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures including unfettered.
“UNRWA has acted, partners like Japan, the European Union and Norway have also now acted, this Government will act too. I can confirm to the House that we are overturning the suspension of UNRWA funding.
“Britain will provide £21m in new funds, some directed at supporting the management reforms recommended by the colonial review and UNRWA supports more than five-and-a-half million Palestinians; almost 200 of their staff have died through this conflict. I thank them for this life-saving work.”
Elsewhere in his statement, Lammy once again called for an immediate ceasefire and for the immediate release of the hostages.
He also made it clear he would never draw any equivalence between the actions of the deomcratic state of Israel and those of the Hamas terrorist orgainsation.
Pressed on a pledge by Labour in their manifesto to proscribe Iran’s IRGC organisation by Alicia Kearns, the Conservative shadow minister, Lammy said he would be considering this move in the coming months.
In respose to Lammy’s annoucement the Board of Deputies appeared to be critical of the decision to restore UNRWA funding claiming the government would be “wise to insist on much stricter oversight”.
In a statement, Israel educational charity StandWithUs UK expressed “profound concern and disappointment” at the move and said it “stands firmly against the decision, citing serious allegations and instances where UNRWA staff have been involved in heinous activities, including butchering, kidnapping, and holding innocent Israelis hostage.”
StandWithUs UK executive director Isaac Zarfati added: “Rewarding UNRWA, which is constantly involved in terrorist acts, is a wrong step and counterproductive to the fight against terror.” The organisation said it “calls on the government to withdraw funding and conduct stricter scrutiny to ensure that future financial support would actually reach civilians rather than be appropriated by terrorists and to ensure robust accountability and transparency as to how UK funding is being utilised.”
Jewish News was also alerted to the fact that none of the MPs elected on a “pro-Palestine” ticket in the general election appeared to be inside the House to contribute to the debate.
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