Report by Petra Abou Haydar, English adaptation by Shaza Wannous
Nadia, of Palestinian origins, lives in the Palestinian refugee camp of Beddawi.
Since her birth, she and her family have benefited from United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) services, which began assisting Palestinian refugees in 1951 in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Gaza, and the West Bank.
Today, these aid efforts are threatened to be halted after more than ten countries (United States, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Canada, Britain, Finland, Australia, and Switzerland) and, most recently, Austria, Romania, and Japan, announced the suspension of their funding for the organization.
This decision is based on allegations that some of its employees were involved in the October 7 attack.
How will this impact Palestinian refugees in Lebanon?
According to the 2024 budget, UNRWA's needs in the five regions (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Gaza, and the West Bank) are estimated at $840 million allocated to the general budget, covering education, healthcare, and relief.
This includes the $50 provided every three months to families suffering from extreme poverty, infrastructure, and employee salaries in the agency.
The remaining funds are for emergency projects carried out by UNRWA. However, according to UNRWA sources, the biggest fear is the inability to secure funding for the general budget, as it directly affects individuals' health, education, and livelihoods.
Lebanon's share is approximately $200 million annually, with around $25 million for health and $9 million for education.
If the countries continue with the decision to suspend funding, it would be a disaster for refugees in Lebanon, as the nation's suspending funding provides 90 percent of the general budget funding.
The consequences of this crisis will become apparent in early March, as the available funds in UNRWA's budget are only sufficient until the end of February.
This reality puts over 200,000 Palestinians in Lebanon in uncertainty, particularly the patients benefiting from medical services in more than 27 health centers across the country.
Additionally, families receiving $50 every three months, over 30,000 students in 62 UNRWA schools, and more than 3,000 agency employees in Lebanon will face an uncertain future in their jobs.
In response to this situation, Palestinian refugees in most camps in Lebanon have staged protests.
Will anyone listen to these appeals and prioritize humanitarian realities over political interests?