Kuwait calls to continue supporting UNRWA

Kuwait, bent on maintaining financial support for the UN agency that aids Palestinian refugees, increased its annual contribution to it from USD 1.5 million to USD two million this year, affirmed a diplomat of the Gulf State.Kuwait joined the consultative committee of the UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, this year, and increased its annual financial aid in line with its strong advocacy of the just Palestinian cause and significance of the UN agency tasks, said Hassan Abulhassan, the Third Secretary of the Kuwaiti Mission at the UN, in an address on behalf of the Kuwaiti delegation to the UN General Assembly's Political Affairs and Decolonization Committee, held as part of the UNGA 66th session, late on Thursday.Abulhassan, who praised UNRWA General Commissioner Filippo Grandi and his staff for their devotion in the service, expressed concern at Grandi's report regarding financial difficulties in the agency. He called in this respect on the international community to continue aiding UNRWA so it could continue its humanitarian missions.UNRWA deserves to be praised for enormous efforts it has exerted since its establishment in support of health, educational, social and humanitarian services for Palestinian refugees in the occupied territories and the host countries, he said.State of Kuwait will continue to back the agency till settling question of the Palestinian refugees, he said, stressing on their right to return home on basis of the UNGA Resolution 194.Abulhassan re-affirmed Kuwait's solidarity with the Palestinian people in their quest to attain their full rights, as stipulated by the relevant UN resolutions. He also urged Israel to abide by UN resolutions 242 and 338, principle of swapping territories for peace and the road map that all call for Israel's withdrawal from the territories it has occupied since 1967 to pave way for establishment of the independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.Israeli forces' continuing destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure, killing and maltreating unarmed Palestinians have worsened the bad conditions in the occupied territories. Moreover, he said, the Israeli siege that has been imposed on Gaza since four years ago has resulted in deterioration of health services and aggravated psychological suffering among the natives, who have been deprived of freedom of movement.UNRWA provides assistance, protection and advocacy for some five million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, pending a solution to their plight. It is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states.The international agency is the main provider of basic services, education, health, relief and social services to the refugees.