During the plenary session (01-04/10/2018) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on EU support to UNRWA, following the US withdrawal of financial support to UNRWA. Statements by Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, José Ignacio SALAFRANCA SÁNCHEZ-NEYRA (EPP, ES), Elena VALENCIANO (S&D, ES), Hilde VAUTMANS (ALDE, BE) and Margrete AUKEN (Greens/EFA, DK).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - United Nations (T)

VAUTMANS, Hilde (Renew, BE)

SALAFRANCA SÁNCHEZ-NEYRA, José Ignacio (EPP, ES)

VALENCIANO, Elena (S&D, ES)

HAHN, Johannes (AT)

AUKEN, Margrete (Greens/EFA, DK)

EU support to UNRWA, following the US withdrawal of financial support to UNRWA: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, We are and we will continue to be strong, reliable and particular supporters of the agency. Supporting UNRWA is above all a humanitarian responsibility, but it's also our collective interest for shake of peace in the Middle East.

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Without UNRWA it could be more difficult to reach a negotiated two-state solution. A just, fair, agreed and realistic solution for the Palestinian refugees is a final status issue that only the two parties can resolve through negotiations, with the support of the international community.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Jos&#233; Ignacio SALAFRANCA S&#193;NCHEZ-NEYRA (EPP, ES), At the end of August the US decided to withdraw definitively and a large chunk of money disappeared. The next day the High Commissioner said that various schools had been opened which were educating more than 50.000 children from Palestine, Libya, Syria and Jordan. We need to make certain that humanitarian aid, social development and basic needs are covered and we congratulate the Commission on having done that.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Elena VALENCIANO (S&amp;D, ES), The Trump administration's decision goes much further than ignoring those vulnerable people who need assistance. This decision is going to end up creating more hatred, more disaffection. Young girls leaving school, once who need education now more than ever, have the instruments simply to survive, to improve their lives and to survive the situation which they are living. Doing this without any education is a terrible mistake.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Hilde VAUTMANS (ALDE, BE), Mr. Trump has taken a partisan position, he stated in the past that he supported a two-state solution, but I think that basically they've got a lot of leverage over the situation. But what is he going to do with that? Is he going to go down in history as the one who buried the two-state solution?

SOUNDBITE (Danish), Margrete AUKEN (Greens/EFA, DK), We have strong ties to Israel, we cannot just ignore the systematic Israeli challenges of international law, as well as the EU's own laws. The EU has to live up to its own legislation and demand that Israelis respect our laws. We have to do it for the Palestinians, but we also have to do it for the EU. When we ignore our own laws, we undermine our own adhesion to the rule of law.