From the outset, the United Nations (UN) has been, and continues to be, closely intertwined with the displacement of the Palestinians, their right to return, and the political and practical crises that have arisen from the “Palestinian problem”. Since the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly’s Resolution 302 , the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has operated within the region, providing essential services and global political representation for the 5.9 million Palestinian refugees. The legitimacy and existence of UNRWA has been repeatedly called into question, especially during episodes of armed conflict within Israel; this time is no exception.
This Global Governance Institute (GGI) Briefing Paper discusses the background, current controversies, and implications of UNRWA’s current funding crisis and -by extension- its impact on the urgent humanitarian situation faced by the civilian population in Gaza. It examines the funding freeze implemented by various governments and makes the case for a full reversal of these unjustified actions as well as a comprehensive review of those governments’ haphazard decision-making that undermined good governance and global humanitarian governance efforts.
