Press Statement
The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Stockholm expresses deep concern regarding Sweden’s recent decision to discontinue funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). This harmful decision comes during an unprecedented crisis for Palestine refugees, amidst an ongoing Israeli genocide and the catastrophic humanitarian conditions endured by Palestine refugees in Palestine, mainly in the Gaza Strip, where UNRWA has been a critical lifeline and has played a vital role in providing essential support.
We reject the idea of finding alternatives to UNRWA, which has a special mandate to provide services to Palestinian refugees. We firmly believe that this would only advance Israeli plans to dismantle and liquidate the Palestinian cause.
The withdrawal of funding from UNRWA poses significant challenges and amounts to the collective punishment of the entire Palestine refugee population, who rely on the Agency for essential services such as healthcare, education, emergency relief, and various forms of humanitarian assistance.
It is essential to recognize that the implications of the decision extend beyond immediate humanitarian needs, potentially impacting stability in host countries and adversely affecting nearly six million Palestine refugees across UNRWA’s five fields of operation. The impact will be most devastating for the over two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who depend on UNRWA for emergency shelter and basic survival necessities amid the horrors of the past 441 days of genocidal assault and siege by Israel. This ongoing violence has resulted in massive civilian casualties, widespread destruction, displacement, destitution, starvation, and the spread of disease.
This decision appears to diverge from Sweden’s commendable historical commitment to justice and international law principles. In light of the critical human suffering and despair, we urgently call on Sweden to reconsider its position and maintain its support to UNRWA to ensure the continuity of its vital operations which is crucial for the lives and dignity of millions of individuals facing extraordinary hardship.