Sweden Resumes Payments to UNRWA

Displaced Palestinians at Rafah refugee camp, near the border with Egypt, southern Gaza Strip, 29 February 2024. (EPA)
Displaced Palestinians at Rafah refugee camp, near the border with Egypt, southern Gaza Strip, 29 February 2024. (EPA)
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Sweden Resumes Payments to UNRWA

Displaced Palestinians at Rafah refugee camp, near the border with Egypt, southern Gaza Strip, 29 February 2024. (EPA)
Displaced Palestinians at Rafah refugee camp, near the border with Egypt, southern Gaza Strip, 29 February 2024. (EPA)

Sweden said on Saturday it would resume suspended payments to the UN refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA), with a grant of 200 million crowns ($20 million).

Several countries, including the United States and Britain, paused their funding to UNRWA after accusations by Israel that a dozen of the agency's 13,000 staff in Gaza took part in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

The Swedish government said it had resumed payments after UNRWA agreed to strengthen internal controls and to extra checks on its employees, among other measures.



WSJ: US to Ease Aid Restrictions for Syria in Limited Show of Support for New Government

Graffiti of the Syrian revolution flag is painted on a mosaic of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria January 2, 2025. (Reuters)
Graffiti of the Syrian revolution flag is painted on a mosaic of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria January 2, 2025. (Reuters)
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WSJ: US to Ease Aid Restrictions for Syria in Limited Show of Support for New Government

Graffiti of the Syrian revolution flag is painted on a mosaic of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria January 2, 2025. (Reuters)
Graffiti of the Syrian revolution flag is painted on a mosaic of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria January 2, 2025. (Reuters)

The Biden administration plans to announce Monday that it will ease restrictions on humanitarian aid for Syria, speeding delivery of basic supplies without lifting sanctions that restrict other assistance to the new government in Damascus, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.
The step, approved by the administration over the weekend, authorizes the Treasury Department to issue waivers to aid groups and companies providing essentials such as water, electricity and other humanitarian supplies, the WSJ reported citing officials.