to report «iusnews»; Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kana’ani deplored recent allegations raised by Israel against the employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), describing it as another malicious action in the Zionist regime's inhumane treatment of Palestinians.
The Iranian diplomat said Israel has leveled the allegations to justify its restrictions on humanitarian organizations active in the besieged Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
He added the accusations also seek to make Israel get away with the unprecedented and heinous crime of killing at least 150 members of international institutions, such as UNRWA, since early October.
The US, the UK, France, Canada, and a number of other states have announced they have paused funding for UNRWA following Israel’s claims that UNRWA staff members were involved in the October 7 attacks in the occupied territories.
The funding shutoff is expected to affect hundreds of millions of dollars in much-needed aid to the agency, which provides shelter and food for displaced Palestinians – a category that currently encompasses over 85% of residents of the Gaza Strip.
Several UN officials stated they were shocked such decisions were taken as famine looms in the besieged enclave, which has been devastated by nearly four months of relentless Israeli bombardment that has killed almost 26,500 people.
Kana’ani also deplored the move by Western states to cut UNRWA funding against the backdrop of the Israeli allegations.
“Such behavior practically means accepting the claims of a criminal regime, which, according to a ruling issued by the International Court of Justice, stands accused of genocide of the Palestinians and must be held accountable before this court and the world’s public opinion,” he stated.
The spokesperson added pressuring UNRWA and restricting its activities or preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people who are suffering from critical war conditions and are facing the threat of genocide indicates nothing but the declaration of trust in the story of a war criminal.
Instead of announcing their decision to suspend funding for UNRWA, those countries had better halt their military and diplomatic assistance to Israel, Kana’ani concluded.
