UNRWA head congratulates Biden, hopes US aid will be restored

The head of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, congratulates President-elect Joe Biden and expresses hope that his administration will “resume the longtime US tradition of supporting” Palestinians.

Congrats/Mabrouk from @UNRWA to President-Elect @JoeBiden and Vice President-Elect @KamalaHarris. Very much hoping we will work together and resume the longtime US tradition of supporting #PalestineRefugees

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) November 8, 2020

The United States ended its annual $300 million contribution to UNRWA in 2018.

US President Donald Trump’s administration, along with Israel, accuses UNRWA of perpetuating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by extending refugee status to millions of descendants of Palestinians who fled or were forced out of homes in today’s Israel at the time of the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948, rather than limiting refugee status only to the original refugees as is the norm with most refugee populations worldwide.