The European Commission will wait for the internal investigation announced by the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) although it will reserve the right to maintain the funds, following reports that some of its employees participated in the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7. This was stated by the institution in a statement in which it also added that it hopes that the organization will accept an audit by independent experts at the request of the Community Executive.
The European Union is one of the main donors of humanitarian and development aid to Palestinians in Gaza and UNRWA is one of the main agencies with which the European Commission cooperates. At the moment, Brussels does not have any pending payments to UNRWA until the end of February, so it is not suspending anything. In any case, the “European Commission will determine decisions on financing after the serious allegations made on January 24 regarding the participation of UNRWA workers in the atrocious attacks of October 7,” the Executive notes in a statement. “The Commission will review the matter in light of the outcome of the investigation announced by the UN and the actions it takes,” he added.
Likewise, it appreciates that the Agency has offered the necessary information and has launched an investigation. In addition to the internal investigation announced by the United Nations agency, the Executive is also waiting for it to accept an audit with independent experts focused especially “on the control systems necessary to avoid the possible involvement of workers in terrorist activities.” Brussels also hopes for “a strengthening of the UNRWA International Investigations Department”, something it considers “key” in this context.
A European Commission spokesperson admitted that there are “extremely serious allegations about UNRWA staff”. “It is obvious that these allegations have to be investigated seriously and without delay,” he added. However, the Executive insists that humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank will continue through the organizations with which the European Union cooperates.
Last October, the European Commission already investigated development aid for Palestine after the Hamas attack and concluded that none of the funds went “directly or indirectly to the terrorist organization Hamas.”
Meanwhile, some countries such as Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Lithuania and the Netherlands have announced that they will suspend the funds in light of the information, in line with what was announced last weekend by the United States.
