Queen Rania cites UNRWA's 'dire' need for funds

By Agence France Presse (AFP)

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

AMMAN: Jordan's Queen Rania appealed on Monday for urgent aid for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), warning that lack of funds might stop its operations. "We are in very dire need of much more assistance and without which I think UNRWA won't be able to operate," the queen, wife of King Abdullah II, told a meeting of UNRWA in Amman. "The international community owes greats debts to UNRWA. It was quite alarming to know that the financial situation was in jeopardy." Rania, herself of Palestinian origin, called for urgent assistance to UNRWA, which cares for some 4.3 million refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. According to UNRWA's website, the agency has unveiled a $345 million "quick recovery plan" for the Gaza Strip, where Israel's 22 days of attacks in December and January caused massive destruction and killed over 1,300 people. "We have collected $120 million, and we need a little more than 200 million out of the 345 to balance," UNRWA commissioner general Karen Abu Zayed told a news conference after the meeting. UN chief Ban Ki-moon said in January the United Nations would launch a $613 million appeal to meet the "massive" needs of those hit by Israel's war in Gaza.