Gaza: Switzerland grants 10 million francs to UNRWA

Switzerland must currently pay 10 million francs to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). The competent National committee approved last month’s decision of the Federal Council, conditionally.

The Federal Council made this decision after months of controversy. He specified that this payment was a response to the appeal for humanitarian aid launched by UNRWA. The aid is intended exclusively for Gaza to cover the organization’s most urgent needs, for the period from April to December 2024: food, water, accommodation, primary health care and logistics.

The National Foreign Policy Committee supports this proposal, by 12 votes to 11, Parliament services indicated on Thursday. She insisted on the conditions attached. The payment must include the reference “Essential goods” and indicate that it is prohibited to use this money to pay for general operating or administrative costs of UNRWA.

Financial aid remains blocked for the moment. The Foreign Policy Committee of the Council of States has yet to make a decision. This support is in addition to the envelope of 56.2 million francs for the humanitarian needs of Middle Eastern countries, already approved by the commissions.

The National committee will examine at the beginning of next month the evolution of the situation on the ground and at UNRWA, as well as the parliamentary proposals relating to future measures. At the end of April, she tabled a motion requesting the reallocation of the 2024 contribution to UNRWA to emergency humanitarian aid for the population of Gaza. No direct money transfers should be made to UNRWA.

The decision comes as debates were briefly disrupted on Thursday at the National during the summer session, due to people on the platform brandishing signs reading “Stop the genocide” and “Ceasefire”. The President of the Council, Éric Nussbaumer, asked them to leave the platform, recalling that demonstrations are prohibited there.

In the tournament

UNRWA has been in turmoil since Israel’s accusations targeting the agency and some of its employees, accused of direct support to Hamas during the bloody attacks of October 7. Various donor countries had suspended their contributions to UNRWA in January due to the accusations.

Many of them have since resumed payments, in addition to new donors. For 2023, Switzerland appeared 12th among the organization’s contributors, the podium being made up of the United States, Germany and the European Union.

Initially, Switzerland had to pay 20 million francs. These funds have been suspended since last December, pending the decision of the Federal Council. The latter must now consult the foreign policy committees, according to the will of Parliament.

The 20 million still constitutes the budget reserved for UNRWA. The Federal Council has decided to release funds for this organization twice a year. There will therefore be a second decision this year.

Colonna Report

The government decision also took into account the findings of the report of the independent review group led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. This report aimed to examine the neutrality of UNRWA.

He notes that the organization has a strong monitoring system. However, it makes 50 recommendations to further strengthen the neutrality of the organization, particularly in the areas of communication, educational materials and the use of infrastructure.

Israel has also not yet provided “proof” of alleged links of certain members to “terrorist organizations,” the report said. The analysis also highlighted that “UNRWA remains crucial in providing vital humanitarian assistance” to Palestinian refugees in Gaza but also in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied West Bank.

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