Qatar Reiterates Continued Support for Palestinian Refugees

New York, November 08 (QNA) - The State of Qatar is committed to supporting and financially backing Palestinian refugees, including annual donations to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Saad bin Youssef Al Mana, member of Qatar's delegation to the 69th U.N. General Assembly said before the Fourth Committee addressing the agenda's item on UNRWA. In his remarks, Al Mana reiterated Qatar's support for Palestinian refugees whether directly or through international organizations such as UNRWA, pointing to Qatar's contribution to the reconstruction of Gaza by pledging $1 billion during the recent conference on Gaza reconstruction in Cairo. He hailed the work of UNRWA in assisting Palestinian refugees in education, health and relief, adding that the organization's work doesn't stop short of ensuring the wellbeing of Palestinian refugees but goes beyond that as their issue has regional dimensions and affects the peaceful settlement of the Middle East conflict. Al Mana stressed "the importance of supporting UNRWA's work in order to continue its activities and services," adding that it should be internationally supported to do that. In addition to serious financial shortage, UNRWA staff are forced to work under severe and dangerous conditions and the crisis in Syria has piled more pressure on the organization because 90 percent of Palestinian refugees in Syria are in need of urgent humanitarian aid, the Qatari diplomat said. The situation in Gaza is no different in light of the continued Israeli blockade of the Strip and the recent aggression against it, which left several UNRWA-managed facilities damaged including schools and hospitals. In addition, Al Mana expressed concern over the financial deficit in UNRWA's budget and the resulting reduction in vital services it provides, particularly as such shortage is a recurring matter every year. He added that Qatar has responded to the organization's calls for support and decided to double its financial support to UNRWA and announced similar initiatives in favor of the agency's educational programs. (QNA)