Guterres Demands Full UNRWA Funding as West Bank Protests Decry Service Cuts

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has reaffirmed his commitment to defending the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), calling for full funding to sustain its critical operations. The appeal comes amid rising unrest in the occupied West Bank over reductions in essential services.

According to a UN spokesperson, Guterres stressed the necessity of securing the agency’s financial foundation to support Palestinian refugees. The call for action follows protests in the Balata refugee camp, where demonstrators opposed recent service cuts, staff dismissals, and plans to close the UNRWA hospital in Qalqilya.

The demonstrations were organized by the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Refugee Affairs Department, service committees across the Nablus governorate and northern West Bank, and the Fatah movement. Participants demanded adequate, sustainable financing to preserve health, education, and relief services, while safeguarding the rights of both refugees and agency employees.

The protest followed a press conference at the Balata service committee headquarters, where committee head Imad Zaki condemned the austerity measures. He underscored the vital importance of maintaining Qalqilya Hospital to ensure continued healthcare access for refugees, local residents, and neighboring communities.

Nisreen Thawqan, director of the Refugee Affairs Department in the northern West Bank, echoed this opposition, specifically rejecting the closure of key hospital departments and the transfer of medical staff to other facilities. She noted that political and diplomatic efforts are underway to urge donor nations to cover an approximate $70 million budget shortfall and secure an additional $3 million required to keep the Qalqilya hospital operational.

Thawqan added that the department intends to send an urgent letter to UNRWA’s Advisory Commission, pressing members to address the financial crisis and its detrimental impact on essential services, particularly healthcare, education, and relief assistance.

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