UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations said Thursday its humanitarian relief agency UNRWA would continue working in all Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, despite Israeli legislation coming into force that cuts ties with the organization.
Israel decided to ban the UN agency for Palestinian refugees following accusations some of its staff belong to Hamas.
“UNRWA clinics across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are open. Meanwhile, the humanitarian operations in Gaza continues, including with UNRWA work there,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres.
UNRWA has long been the lead agency in coordinating aid to Gaza.
A series of investigations found some “neutrality related issues” at UNRWA — but stressed Israel had not provided evidence that a significant number of its staff belonged to “terrorist” organizations.
“UNRWA will continue to deliver on its mandate... until they’re no longer able to do so,” Dujarric said.
However he clarified that no staff were present at the agency’s headquarters in East Jerusalem, which mainly deals with administration. Palestinian employees are however working from other locations, while foreign employees had to leave Israel.
“We had taken precautions,” Dujarric said. “All the equipment inside, files, computers, everything had been removed, our vehicles as well.”
UN says UNRWA aid agency will continue work in all Palestinian territories
https://arab.news/gxx97
UN says UNRWA aid agency will continue work in all Palestinian territories
- Israel decided to ban UNRWA following accusations some of its staff belong to Hamas
- UNRWA has long been the lead agency in coordinating aid to Gaza
Somali president visits city claimed by breakaway region
MOGADISHU: Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Friday visited a provincial capital claimed by the breakaway region of Somaliland -- the first visit there by a sitting president in over 40 years.
The visit to Las Anod, the administrative capital of the Sool region, comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions in the Horn of Africa after Israel officially recognised Somaliland, drawing strong opposition from Mogadishu.
Mohamud was attending the inauguration of the president of the newly created Northeast State, which became Somalia's sixth federal state in August.
It was the first visit by a Somali president since 1984.
Somalia is a federation of semi-autonomous states, some of which have fraught relations with the central government in Mogadishu.
The Northeast State comprises the regions of Sool, Sanaag and Cayn, all territories Somaliland claims as integral to its borders.
Somaliland had controlled Las Anod since 2007 but was forced to withdraw in 2023 after violent clashes with Somali forces and pro-Mogadishu militias left scores dead.
Mohamud's visit "is a symbol of strengthening the unity and efforts of the federal government to enforce the territorial unity of the Somali country and its people", the Somali president's office said.
