The United States announced Friday it was providing an additional $55 million to a U.N. program aiding Palestinian refugees.
Assistant Secretary of State Eric Schwartz said the funds would go through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
|
The United States, UNRWA’s largest donor, will give $30 million to UNRWA’s general fund, which provides services to Palestinian refugees across the region, and $25 million to its emergency appeal for the West Bank and Gaza. This will bring total U.S. contributions to UNRWA thus far in fiscal year 2010 to $95 million. In 2009, the United States provided $267 million to the agency. The cash-strapped UNRWA provides assistance to about 4.7 million Palestinian refugees, many of whom have settled in camps in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. |