The US State Department has been authorized to use $20 million to assist Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and Gaza through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
According to a statement by State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher, President Bush authorized the funds in response to UNRWA's emergency appeal for $193 million to fund food, shelter, health, and other humanitarian needs of over 1.5 million Palestinian refugees.
"The United States is the largest bilateral donor to UNRWA. We encourage other donors to contribute urgently to this emergency appeal," said the statement. — (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
