Austria will provide funding for a UN agency that provides aid to Palestinians

Austria will unblock funding that were stopped for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) following claims that agency personnel participated in the attacks against Israel on October 7.

Vienna made its decision in response to UNRWA’s action plan, which outlined improvements to internal reviews, personnel monitoring, and impartiality.

The Austrian foreign ministry declared on Saturday that “we will release funds to UNRWA again after a thorough analysis of the action plan.”

A budget of 3.4 million euros ($3.70 million) has been set aside for 2024; the first installment is scheduled to be paid in the summer, it continued.

One of the donor states, Austria, blocked almost $450 million in funding following allegations by Israel that 12 UNRWA employees had taken part in the offensive spearheaded by Hamas that started the Gaza War.

Following an investigation conducted by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna investigating UNRWA’s processes for guaranteeing respect to principles of neutrality, Germany said last month that it will restart collaboration with the organization.

32,000 individuals are employed by UNRWA, which manages social services and schools in the Palestinian territories and neighboring nations, including 13,000 in the Gaza Strip.

One dollar is equivalent to 0.9200 euros.