Unrwa manager in Gaza does not understand why Sweden withdraws support

At the end of March, Sam left Rose Gaza. He is Gaza chief at the UN agency Unrwa, but he is not welcome back. Israel’s government coalition, supported by the extreme right, has pushed through a law that prohibited UNRWA from operating on the land of Israel. This means, among other things, that its staff can no longer go out and out of Gaza, since you have to pass Israel.

That UNRWA cannot operate in Gaza is the argument that the Swedish government and the Minister of Development Benjamin Dousa (M) repeat in support of his decision to withdraw the support. Even though the needs are greater than ever, even though Sida’s Humanitarian Department wants to resume assistance to Gaza.

– It is very sad in many ways, but the causes are also very difficult to understand. Sweden has been such an important donor to UNRWA, financially and politically. Sweden has always stood up for Unrwa and people in the region have always looked up to Sweden, says Sam Rose on the phone from the UK, from which he tries to do his work remotely.

Sweden’s attitude stands outas the only former aid provider in addition to the United States who has completely canceled the support. A support that also stood out before – as « unusually generous ».

– Sweden accounted for about a month of our total work annually, a large contribution from a fairly small country, says Sam Rose.

The government thus points out that UNRWA can no longer do anything in Gaza. No goods have been distributed by the organization since the beginning of March this year.

– When nothing enters Gaza, all efforts are made by UNRWA. We account for two -thirds of all primary care. We carry out 17,000 health visits every week, maternity care, child health care and vaccinations, for example.

People in Gaza need medication and half of Unrwa’s layer is emptied. But a lot can be done anyway.

– We have over 100 schools where over 100,000 Gazabor on the run has taken shelter. We produce water for almost half a million people every day. We also work with garbage collection, which may seem impossible in today’s situation, but which still happens.

Unrwa has the staffthe vehicles and the equipment. Sam Rose sounds close to desperate as he continues his enumeration.

– We have 12,000 employees in Gaza, other organizations have at most 300. It is not we against them, but what we do is on a completely different level. We run the service ourselves. The humanitarian response can only work if Unrwa is there. If UNICEF is unable to deliver emergency assistance to UNRWA, many more children do not receive food. It’s like removing the wheels from the bike when the bike is needed most.

Sam Rose believes that the Sweden that existed « five years ago » had acted to get more countries to donate money to UNRWA.

– Sweden has been involved in building the systems that are now being broken down. There is a sadness that much of what we do now has been made possible thanks to Sweden. Now you have turned off, abruptly.

– It is sad when any donor withdraws, but Sweden was one of the best we had. It is also the message that is thus sent to others. We never thought we would end up in this situation, where Sweden withdrew.

Another argument against UNRWA is that the UN agency has been infiltrated by the Hamas terrorist group. That their emergency aid transport ends up in the hands of terrorists.

– In the name of honesty, for decades, a lot of problems with UNRWA have also been reported. This is how it can be when there is a relief organization in place where a terrorist organization also works. Finally, an addiction or relationship is created in order for them to act, said Benjamin Dousa last week.

Sam Rose has heard it before, but thinks it is a baseless accusation.

– Gaza is completely monitored. We have nothing to hide. Where is the evidence? We have heard the complaints and charges, but we have not seen any evidence.

UNRWA has according to Sam Rose full control over its entire distribution chain. There are their own drivers in their own trucks who drive to their own warehouses. From there, the goods go to their own extradition premises.

– We verify who receives the help. This has been investigated by many donor countries, for several decades. The help goes where it should, according to our lists, which are examined externally twice a year. No one on any sanction lists is there.

However, what is not possible to control is what happens after the food packages have been handed over to the correct recipient.

– People can sell them, it is often done. Just like trucks are looted by criminal gangs. It is not about UNRWA, but about the desperation and the price of goods. The only way to get away from this is to get more help.

An Israeli -American initiative for a « new » emergency assistance organization has just started working in Gaza. It is called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and all UN agencies and large aid organizations refuse to work with it, partly because they believe that its way of working will contribute to forcing people. The day before the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, its work started its CEO. He motivated that he could not stand behind the organization’s way of working.

– It is a relief that the CEO got up and did the right thing. But we are not closer to a solution and every day the population is one day closer to dying of starvation, says Sam Rose.