Gaza _ Palestine News Network
The Malaysian government has launched a national fundraising campaign to support Palestine refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
"The campaign is aimed at mobilizing resources at a time when the agency is experiencing an unprecedented financial crisis after the United States announced a moratorium on funding," UNRWA said in a statement on Monday.
"The recent reduction in UNRWA funding undermines education, health care and other life-saving services for Palestine refugees at risk," said one Aziza, deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Aziza called on the Malaysian people to "join this effort; no matter how little your contribution is, it can make a difference for people who have nothing."
Her Government was determined to do its utmost to ensure that Palestine refugees received the support and solidarity they deserved.
In addition to the campaign, Malaysia has been a steadfast supporter of UNRWA for decades, both financially and politically.
She stressed that it was dear that her country would continue to use its political influence to ensure that UNRWA received the support it deserved, including in the corridors of the United Nations General Assembly.
The launch of the campaign in Kuala Lumpur was attended by hundreds of public and private sector leaders in Malaysia. Many of them expressed their solidarity with Palestine refugees and pledged to contribute to the national campaign, which will last for a period of one month.
"The campaign in Malaysia is a harvest of months of deliberations between the Malaysian government and UNRWA," said Abdirahman AyenTe, head of the campaign "dignity is priceless."
"The result is a strong public fundraising campaign to raise the badly needed funds for the agency and to raise awareness about the plight of Palestine refugees in that part of the world," he said.
UNRWA is "United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East". It was founded as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict in 1948 to help Palestinian refugees and create jobs for them. It actually started its operations in May/May 1950. Its tasks are periodically renewed, and in June/June 2017.
UNRWA provides assistance and care to some 5 million Palestinian refugees deployed in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the occupied Palestinian territories and the Gaza Strip. It receives material support through voluntary contributions to United Nations Member States.
Its services include education, health care, relief, infrastructure, camp improvement, community support, micro-credit and emergency response in times of armed conflict.
