Queen Rania Appeals for Aid for UNRWA

Queen Rania of Jordan has made a public appeal for aid for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is in urgent need of funds to enable it to continue its work in Gaza. During an extraordinary meeting of the UNRWA Advisory Council in Amman, Jordan, the Queen, who is herself of Palestinian ancestry, referred to the agency as “a lifeline to the people of Gaza.” She encouraged nations who have pledged funds to support UNRWA to follow through and honour their commitments to donate the money so that the agency can continue to provide care and services to the people of Gaza.

The agency, which was set up in 1949 to aid Palestinian refugees, presently has a shortfall of over $50 million because of the great demands on its resources. Queen Rania warned that if this situation continued, thousands of UNRWA workers, including doctors and teachers, would not be paid and the agency itself might be in danger of folding. The agency has come up with an emergency recovery plan which will cost $345 million, of which about $120 million has already been collected.

The Queen specifically praised the work of UNRWA staff on the ground in Gaza, calling them “real heroes.” She announced her intention to visit Gaza after the present conflict was over and meet with the UNRWA workers.

Read about Queen Rania’s work with the United Nations in this thread.

Filed under Jordan
Tagged Palestine, Queen Rania al-Abdullah of Jordan, United Nations, UNRWA.