Norway says countries that pulled UNRWA funding looking to restore donations

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide says he is “reasonably optimistic” some countries that paused funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees will resume payments.

“Many countries” are realizing that the current situation cannot last very long, he tells Reuters, without naming specific countries.

“They’re looking for a way out. And maybe if now UNRWA comes up quickly with a good response, which is accepted as serious, they will then happily restart,” says the minister.

“Because I think we hear from several governments, and also governments, who have been vocal publicly about the need to suspend, that they understand the very, very serious consequences.”

UNRWA says its entire operations in the Middle East, not only in Gaza, will most likely be forced to shut down by the end of February if its funding remains suspended, after top donors froze commitments in light of Israeli information showing that at least a dozen staffers actively took part in the October 7 massacre.

The Nordic country says it will not freeze funding to UNRWA, which has promised to probe the allegations.