UN seeks new funding pledges for Palestinian refugees

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 26 (AP): The United Nations (UN) implored member countries Monday to fill a critical funding gap that the Trump administration created by sharply cutting the US contribution to a programme that helps Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.
The UN held a conference to raise money for basic services - from food assistance and medical care to sanitation - for 5 million refugees in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
After the session, the United Nations was still tallying how much was pledged by which countries against this year's shortfall of $250 million facing the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, which leads the relief efforts.
UN officials said the United States, the program's top donor, gave $364 million to the agency last year but only $60 million this year. Pierre Krahenbuhl, the agency's director, said the cut is endangering basic services such as food assistance in Gaza and medical clinics spread among the five areas, while about 500,000 children may not be able to start the school year.
"The situation of Palestinians is defined by great anxiety and uncertainty, first because Palestinian refugees do not see a solution to their plight on the horizon," he said at a briefing before the conference.