Sit-in staged in Damascus in protest of the latest US- UNRWA deal

DAMAS US, (ST)_A sit-in was staged on Thursday outside the doors of the UN headquarters in Damascus in protest of 2021-2022 U.S.-UNRWA Framework for Cooperation, which undermines the national rights of the Palestinian people. 

 

The participants in the sit-in referred in a memorandum read by the coordinator of Jihad Movement in Syria Ismael Al-Sandawi to the rights of the Palestinian people and the UN resolutions that grant the Palestinian struggle to restore the usurped rights and lands. 

 

They called on the United Nations and the UNRWA to fulfil their duties towards the Palestinians in Syria, especially those who are living in camps , and to help them immediately as well as to return services to Al-Yarmouk Camp as soon as possible. 

 

The sit-in was organized by the Palestinian Forces Alliance, the Syrian Arab Popular Committee for Supporting the Palestinian people and Al-Quds International Institution-Syria. 

 

According to the U.S-UNRWA Framework for Cooperation, the Palestinian Liberation Army and Palestinian factions are considered as terrorist groups and thus do not deserve aid from UNRWA. 

 

Under the framework, which was signed in July, the United States paid UNRWA $135m in additional funds.

 

“No contributions by the US shall be made to UNRWA, except on the condition that UNRWA takes all possible measures to assure that no part of the US contribution shall be used to furnish assistance to any refugee who is receiving military training as a member of the so-called Palestinian Liberation Army or any other guerrilla-type organization or has engaged in act of terrorism,” it said.

 

The framework also includes “monitoring Palestinian [school] curriculum content”.

 

The deal sparked a wave of anger and drew criticism from Palestinians who perceived it as a threat to Palestinian refugee rights and a serious change in UNRWA’s vision.

 

Basma Qaddour