Switzerland and Netherlands suspend funding for UN Palestinians aid agency
search

The latest Jewish News

Read this week’s digital edition

Click Here

Switzerland and Netherlands suspend funding for UN Palestinians aid agency

Two countries’ move announced this week following a damning report alleging corruption in the UN agency 

Palestinians next to the West Bank security barrier that separates them from Israel
Palestinians next to the West Bank security barrier that separates them from Israel

The Netherlands and Switzerland announced the suspension of funding for UNRWA, the United Nations’ aid agency for Palestinians.

The suspensions, announced by both countries on Tuesday, followed a damning report alleging corruption on the organisation’s highest levels.

An internal report leaked Monday alleged both graft and sexual misconduct of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which was thrown into crisis after the United States last year announced it would no longer fund it. The allegations are now being scrutinised by UN investigators.

Switzerland’s suspension will impact money slated for 2020, not the £18.5m ($22.5 million) already earmarked for 2019, Swiss officials told media there. The Netherlands, which funds UNRWA to the tune of about £12m ($15 million) annually, will suspend its contributions “until we get satisfactory answers,” Sigrid Kaag, the Netherlands’ minister for international aid, told the NOS broadcaster.

A copy of the damning report obtained by AFP describes “credible and corroborated” allegations of serious ethical abuses, including involving UNRWA’s top official, Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl.

It says the allegations include senior management engaging in “sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority, for personal gain, to suppress legitimate dissent, and to otherwise achieve their personal objectives.”

The American decision caused a financial shortfall of £366m ($446 million) in the agency’s budget of £987m. ($1.2 billion). Before the scandal was exposed, Krahenbuhl said he expected to end 2019 with a deficit of at least £187m ($211 million).

 

Support your Jewish community. Support your Jewish News

Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.

For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.

Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.

You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.

100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...

Engaging

Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.

Celebrating

There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.

Pioneering

In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.

Campaigning

Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.

Easy access

In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.

Voice of our community to wider society

The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.

We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.

read more: