UNRWA Calls on Arab Employees Union in the West Bank to End Strike

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) called today, Wednesday, on the Arab Employees Union within the agency in the West Bank to end the strike, stating: "The strike obstructs the availability of essential services to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees." It added: "We must, now more than ever, achieve a balance between the right to strike, the right to work, and the right of Palestine refugees to access basic services." UNRWA pointed out that the Arab Employees Union in the agency in the West Bank threatened employees who tried to work during the strike and intimidated them. Jamal Abdullah, head of the Arab Employees Union for those receiving salaries from UNRWA in the West Bank, protested the agency's accusations, stating: "This is untrue and completely false; we did not threaten anyone, nor did we force anyone to strike, nor did we close any office or institution." The provision of services from UNRWA has been halted for approximately 900,000 Palestinian refugees across the region since local employees in the West Bank announced their strike in early March.