The popular service committees of Palestinian refugee camps in the northern West Bank will shut down all UNRWA offices and programs, except clinics and schools, Wednesday and Thursday.To protest cutbacks in services they shut down those very services?
In a joint statement, the committees said the move was part of ongoing protests against "UNRWA's systematic reductions" in services provided to Palestinian refugees in the region.
The decision came following a meeting Tuesday at the headquarters of the refugees' affairs department in Nablus in the northern West Bank. Representatives of the services committees and northern West Bank districts attended the meeting.
The participants agreed that protests for next week would be determined after a meeting scheduled for Thursday in Ramallah with the director of UNRWA operation in the West Bank.
The committees will decide whether to carry out further protests and when depending on the outcome of the meeting.
One of the UN's oldest agencies, UNRWA faces a $36 million deficit.
"UNRWA will be unable to adequately fund its core services -- especially in education, health and poverty mitigation -- and will be unable to pay December salaries of its 30,000 teachers, medical personnel and social workers," under secretary general Jeffrey Feltman told the Security Council.
Hey, if they do this a couple of times a week, then UNRWA might meet its budget! Everyone will be happy!
By the way, here's what the kids in Balata are being taught by that wonderful agency UNRWA:
UNRWA is reason #4,934 why peace is impossible.
(h/t Israel Muse)