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Australia restores funding to the UN Agency for Palestinian refugees [1]
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Date: 2024-03
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TRANSCRIPT
As Islam's Holy Month of Ramadan begins, in Rafah, there's a palpable sense of fear as the population confronts a dire food shortage.
It's a humanitarian crisis Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the government can't ignore.
"It's also a prime consideration to recognize that we have children and families who are starving and we have a capacity along with the international community to assist them. We know that UNRWA is central and vital to delivering that assistance to the people who need it."
Ms Wong has announced the government will unfreeze six million dollars in emergency funding for primary aid agency UNRWA after it was paused when Israel alleged 12 staff were involved in the October 7 attacks.
It fired nine of the accused and launched an investigation.
Some nations including Ireland and Spain have continued financial support, but Australia was one of more than a dozen countries to suspend funding to the UN agency.
The Foreign Minister says Australia is now restoring funding alongside Canada and Sweden.
"The best available current advice from agencies and the Australian government lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist organisation, and that existing in additional safeguards sufficiently protect Australian taxpayer funding. Australia has been working with a group of donor countries and with UNRWA on the shared objective of ensuring the integrity of UNRWA operations, rebuilding confidence, and so importantly ensuring aid flows to Gazans in desperate need."
Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi has welcomed the announcement.
"Restoring UNRWA funding is the bare minimum. The Labor government must publicly pressure Israel to allow aid into all parts of Gaza. Starvation is a weapon of war, and Israel is blocking aid to reach the people of Gaza in brazen contravention to ICJs ruling. I hope this is the start of the Labor government breaking away from their unquestioning and immoral support for Israel."
But Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham has criticised the decison, saying it's premature.
"We do not support the Albanese government in acting without and ahead of the United States in terms of decisions around this funding. Ultimately, Australia deciding through means that lack any transparency to reinstate funding as Penny Wong and the Albanese government has announced. Runs the risk that Australian dollars could be misused in the future."
Minister Wong has also announced other contributions, including a RAAF Globemaster which will deliver 140 delivery parachutes to assist Jordan and the UAE with airdrops.
Four million dollars for UNICEF and a further $2 million to a UN agency facilitating the distribution of aid - with Australia's overall support worth more than $52 million.
But aid agencies say the real problem is getting the aid into Gaza.
The Australian Government has been briefed by the World Food Program and SBS has been told it's given advice there is already enough food outside the border to feed more than 2.5 million people for months.
This prompted a renewed call from Penny Wong.
[END]
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[1] Url:
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/podcast-episode/australia-restores-funding-to-the-un-agency-for-palestinian-refugees/6a0gmg81h
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