Nablus:A protest was organized in the Balata refugee camp on Tuesday by the Refugee Affairs Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the popular service committees across the Nablus governorate and the northern West Bank. The demonstration was held in coordination with the Fatah movement against the recent cuts to services provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the dismissal of several employees, and plans to close the agency's hospital in Qalqilya.
According to Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA – English, the protest saw participation from Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas, Secretary-General of the Fatah Movement in Nablus Mohammad Hamdan, and head of the popular service committee in New Askar refugee camp Mohammad Abu Kishk. Representatives from national factions, members of Fatah's Revolutionary Council, representatives of the Refugee Affairs Department, popular service committees, the Arab Employees Union at UNRWA, and Nablus Municipality were also present. The participants expressed their rejection of the service cuts, emphasizing the need for adequate and sustainable funding to maintain health, education, and relief services, and to protect the rights of refugees and agency employees.
The protest was preceded by a press conference at the Balata refugee camp's service committee headquarters, where the head of the committee, Imad Zaki, reiterated his opposition to the cuts in services and employee dismissals. He emphasized the importance of preserving Qalqilya Hospital and ensuring the continued provision of healthcare to refugees, residents of the governorate, and neighboring areas.
Director of the Refugee Affairs Department in the northern West Bank, Nisreen Thawqan, also voiced her objection to the measures targeting the closure of Qalqilya Hospital, including the shutdown of some vital departments and the reassignment of medical staff to other health centers. She highlighted the potential negative impact on healthcare services for refugees and residents of the governorate.
Nisreen Thawqan further indicated that political and diplomatic efforts would be made to persuade donor countries to address the approximately $70 million deficit in UNRWA's budget and to secure an additional $3 million to ensure the continued operation of Qalqilya Hospital. She mentioned that the Refugee Affairs Department plans to send an urgent letter to members of the agency's Advisory Commission, urging them to tackle the financial crisis and its effects on essential services, particularly healthcare, education, and relief.