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Geneva
The head of the UN agency for Palestinians criticised Tuesday the"political dimension" of a US decision to dramatically slash funding to the organisation, warning this could lead to rising instability.
Pierre Krahenbuhl said the US decision to reduce funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) this year by $300 million (240 million euros)"has a political dimension that I think should be avoided".
He made these comments while issuing an emergency appeal for more than $800 million in funds to provide additional assistance to Palestinian refugees in Syria, Gaza and the West Bank.
The United States, which for years has by far been UNRWA's largest donor, announced this month it will be contributing just $60 million to the organisation's 2018 budget, down from $360 million last year.
"It is very clear the decision by US was not related to our performance," Krahenbuhl said, pointing out that he had a"positive" meeting with US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner last November and had been left with the impression Washington would maintain its funding levels.
Krahenbuhl said the cuts were clearly linked to the Palestinian leadership's decision this month to freeze ties with Trump's administration after its controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, adding that Washington could no longer be the main mediator in talks with Israel.
The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
Krahenbuhl stressed the"imperative to preserve and ensure that humanitarian funding is preserved from politicisation".
"The whole point of supporting communities in very difficult conflict environments is that one doesn't have to agree with anyone's leadership. One is concerned with the well-being ... of communities."
