Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said the State has no plans to suspend funding for the United Nations' refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA), following allegations its staff were involved in the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel.
It comes as Britain, Italy and Finland on Saturday became the latest countries to pause funding for UNRWA.
Set up to help refugees of the 1948 war at Israel's founding, UNRWA provides education, health and aid services to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. It helps about two thirds of Gaza's 2.3 million population and has played a pivotal aid role during the current war.
The United States, Australia and Canada had already paused funding to the aid agency after Israel said 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the cross-border attack. The agency has opened an investigation into several employees severed ties with them.
The Palestinian foreign ministry criticised what it described as an Israeli campaign against UNRWA, and the Hamas militant group condemned the termination of employee contracts "based on information derived from the Zionist enemy."
Full confidence in @UNLazzarini's decision to immediately suspend @UNRWA staff suspected of participation in the heinous attacks of October 7, to investigate thoroughly and show zero tolerance on terror.
🇮🇪 has no plans to suspend funding for UNRWA’s vital Gaza work. (1/2)Advertisement— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) January 27, 2024
In a statement posted on social media platorm X, Mr Martin said Ireland would be continuing its support for UNRWA in 2024.
“Full confidence in @UNLazzarini‘s decision to immediately suspend @UNRWA staff suspected of participation in the heinous attacks of October 7, to investigate thoroughly and show zero tolerance on terror,” he said.
“UNRWA’s 13,000 employees provide life saving assistance to 2.3m people and at incredible personal cost - with over 100 staff killed in last 4 months.
“[Ireland] provided @UNRWA €18m in 2023 and will continue our support in 2024.”
The UK Foreign Office said it was temporarily pausing funding for UNRWA while the accusations were reviewed and noted London had condemned the October 7th attacks as "heinous" terrorism.
"The Italian government has suspended financing of the UNRWA after the atrocious attack on Israel on October 7," foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on X.
Finland also said it suspended funding.
Hussein al-Sheikh, head of the Palestinians' umbrella political body the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said cutting support brought major political and relief risks.
"We call on countries that announced the cessation of their support for UNRWA to immediately reverse their decision," he said on X. – Additional reporting: Reuters
