In the Aida refugee camp, near Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, an UNRWA camp is closely following the controversy which threatens the UN agency, singled out for problems of neutrality.
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With our special envoys in the Palestinian territories, Nicolas Falez and Nicolas Benita
The entrance to the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem is topped by a huge rusty metal sculpture representing a key, the symbol of the exile of Palestinian refugees and the right of return they demand.
Around 8,000 refugees live in these narrow streets, Ibrahim Abu Srur is one of them and he is also an employee of theUnrwa. It followed the submission of the investigation report which recommends improving the neutrality of UNRWA but which also underlines that Israel has not provided proof of the involvement of employees of the agency in the attacks of the UNRWA. October 7 last year.
We are 100% convinced that none of our colleagues participated in October 7 and the Israelis have not provided any proof. Our teams know our rules, what is allowed and what is not. I am a Palestinian, I am a refugee, I live in a camp. I know the feelings of refugees and yet I work with absolute neutrality. And we respect this neutrality in our work.
Here, in the Aïda refugee camp, Unrwa’s work is everywhere: two schools, a health center, waste collection. These are all services that allow the inhabitants of Aïda to survive on a daily basis.
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