Swiss NGOs call for resumption of aid payments in the Middle East
Palestinians queue to collect water during the ongoing Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Rafah on November 18
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In an open letter, 15 Swiss aid organisations and associations active in the Middle East have called on the Swiss government to resume aid payments to NGOs in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
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Keystone-SDA
العربية
ar
منظمات سويسرية تدعو الحكومة إلى استئناف التمويل في الشرق الأوسط
According to the letter, which has been seen by the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA, the government has not provided a factual and comprehensible explanation for the suspension of payments.
In the letter, the aid organisations also call on the government to create complete transparency about the basis on which the decision to “suspend” the funding of 11 long-standing and audited partner organisations of the Swiss foreign ministry in Israel and the Palestinian territories was made.
The suspension would not only damage the reputation of the organisations concerned but would also send a negative signal to other donors, the statement continued. Furthermore, Switzerland would lose credit as a reliable partner in international cooperation.
The 15 signatories included AllianceSud, the Swiss-Palestinian Association, the Swiss Protestant Reformed Church Aid Organisation (HEKS) and the Swiss Platform for Peacebuilding (KOFF).
In addition, a petition with over 14,000 signatures was submitted on Wednesday, which also calls on the foreign ministry to resume financial support for long-standing partner organisations in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
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