AA / Istanbul / Riyaz ul Khaliq
Japan is preparing to reopen the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa met with the head of the agency, Philippe Lazzarin, in Tokyo on Thursday to discuss the agency’s work following the Israeli attack on the besieged coastal enclave of Gaza.
Japan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that UNRWA will establish a “new framework” with Tokyo on project management and monitoring to ensure project transparency and traceability, with the active participation of the agency’s Japanese staff.
Yoko appreciated UNRWA’s future action plan and additional bilateral efforts with Japan in line with its priorities.
“Japan and UNRWA have confirmed that they are moving forward with final coordination on the necessary efforts to restore Japan’s contribution,” the statement said.
Yoko, for his part, said the following: “Effective measures must be taken by the agency so that our aid is not used for terrorist activities.”
Earlier this year, in January, Japan joined 11 of its Western allies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, in suspending funding to the UN agency following accusations from Tel Aviv.
However, Australia, Canada, Sweden and Iceland have since resumed funding.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a devastating war in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, mostly children and women, in addition to unprecedented humanitarian disaster and destruction. The massive infrastructure that led to Tel Aviv. They were brought before the International Court on charges of “genocide”.
Palestinian groups estimate that thousands of Palestinians have been detained by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip since October. 7.
Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, especially those in northern Gaza, on the brink of starvation.
Israel’s war has led to the internal displacement of 85% of Gaza’s population due to acute shortages of food, drinking water and medicine, and 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the United Nations.
* Translated from English by Malek Jomni
Source: AA
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