Norwegian Aid to UNRWA and Hamas: Impact Organization Report

And song rapport from the Israeli non-governmental organization IMPACT-se claims that Norwegian tax money played an indirect role in Hamas’ terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October.

This is because Norway is among the largest contributors to UNRWA, the UN organization for Palestinian refugees.

The Israeli organization believes there are direct links between UNRWA schools and the biggest terrorist attack against Israel ever.

In front of Dagbladet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects the aid criticism, and repeats that they see no need for a full review of Norwegian aid.

– Celebrated the attack

IMPACT, short for the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance In School Education, is an Israeli organization whose stated aim is “to monitor the content of school books according to religion, culture, society and democratic values”.

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According to the organization, their review shows that school materials at several UNRWA schools glorify violence, incite anti-Semitism and promote jihad.

– The aforementioned findings from the violent textbooks illustrate how students at these schools are “groomed” to commit atrocities in the future, the organization writes in the report.

They also write that several employees of UNRWA schools in both Gaza and the West Bank – including teachers, celebrated the 7 October attack, and refer to posts on social media.

Several employees are also said to have expressed support for those who want to wipe out the state of Israel, they write further.

According to the organization, Hamas’ finance minister was also a former teacher at an UNRWA school.

– Does not finance the books

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) replies that Norway – through several governments – has supported the building and renovation of schools and the training of teachers in Palestine, but emphasizes that we do not finance Palestinian school books or their design.

– Over 13,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 7 October. Nearly 6,000 of these are children. Half of all buildings in Gaza are damaged or in ruins. The war arouses strong feelings in Palestine, including among teachers, says Barth Eide further.

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He emphasizes that Norway does not provide aid to Hamas, but to the Palestinian Authority.

– It also goes to the UN, Norwegian and international organizations and their work to improve the living conditions of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, as well as to Palestinian civil society. We carry out thorough risk assessments of all our grant recipients. We have close contact with the recipients in the follow-up of the projects.

He further emphasizes that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with IMPACT this week where they expressed their views.

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Billion contribution

Norway is among the largest contributors to UNRWA, together with the USA, Germany, the EU, France, Switzerland and Sweden.

According to IMPACT, Norway has contributed 1.3 billion to UNRWA in the last five years, which refers to UNRWA’s overview over aid funds received.

At the same time, they specifically point to Finland’s contribution, as leader of the donor group for education in UNRWA. Shortly after the terrorist attack, however, Finland was among the countries that stated that they will review their support for Palestine.

More than half of the children who go to school in Gaza go to UNRWA schools, the organization writes further.

It is not the first time the organization has warned about the Palestinian use of Norwegian aid funds. They did the same in 2019.

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Addressed the issue

UNRWA provides basic services in education, health, social protection and humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza.

The organization has received Norwegian core support, i.e. relatively free funds that it can prioritize itself, as well as support for humanitarian aid.

UNRWA itself has admitted that some of the textbooks contain problematic content.

In a hearing in the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee in September 2021, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said that examples of anti-Semitism, intolerance and the glorification of terror can be found in Palestinian textbooks at UNRWA schools, but insisted that steps were taken to prevent this, writes EU Reporter.

Barth Eide tells Dagbladet that Norway and other donors have had an ongoing dialogue with the Palestinian Authority about improving the school curriculum.

– In a report prepared by the independent Georg Eckert Institute in 2021, it appears that there have been clear improvements in the Palestinian curriculum in the period 2017-2021. However, there is still room for improvement. Norway and other donor countries continue to take this up with the Palestinian Authority, says Eide.

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Increased support

After Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October, several European donors have signaled that they will freeze long-term support for Palestine and UNRWA.

The government has been very critical of this development. Recently, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) announced that Norway is now increasing its support to UNRWA by NOK 60 million.

Several Norwegian parties have called for a review of the Norwegian aid funds.

The then foreign minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap) stated shortly after the terrorist attack that there is no reason to believe that Norwegian aid to Palestine has helped Hamas.

Although Norway does not want a full review of the aid, Eide emphasizes that Norway adapts the facility on an ongoing basis.

– It is important that Norway contributes to easing the situation for Palestinian civilians, who now live under very demanding conditions, both in Gaza and in the West Bank.

2023-11-28 14:20:41
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