Germany has, for the first time, withheld its support for extending the mandate of the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA.

At a preliminary vote in a UN General Assembly subcommittee in New York, the German representative abstained on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in Berlin that the government expects “consistent and verifiable reforms within UNRWA” before backing another mandate renewal.

The resolution passed with 144 votes in favour, 11 against and 16 abstentions. A final vote in the full General Assembly, which is set to extend UNRWA’s current mandate from mid-2026 to mid-2029, is scheduled for December.

  • acargitz@lemmy.ca
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    13 hours ago

    Wadephul acknowledged that UNRWA provides vital assistance to roughly 6 million people

    But this vital assistance to 6 million people is not as important as <insert Israeli right wing talking point>. If that’s was an agency providing viral assistance to 6 million Germans, or 6 million Israelis, there would be no “buts”. But for Palestinians, it’s somehow acceptable.

    Why do they hate Palestinians so much?

  • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
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    16 hours ago

    After Germany had the best government since reunification for only a measly 3 years (and believe me they had major problems and still got more done than Merkel did in 16 years) we now have undoubtedly the worst government during my lifetime. I feel ashamed for this country.