The United States Government’s Contribution to UNRWA’s 2006 Emergency Appeal for the West Bank and Gaza

In May 2006, the United States contributed $84.15 million to UNRWA’s 2006 General Fund for its education, health, and social programs in its five fields of operation (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip

Our contribution to the 2006 Emergency Appeal will provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and Gaza, whose livelihoods have been badly affected by the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority government’s policy choices and refusal to accept the principles laid out by the Quartet on January 30: renunciation of violence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations.

The U.S. contribution will enable UNRWA to provide emergency food parcels to 1.2 million refugees, create temporary jobs for over 100,000 unemployed refugees, and provide 69,400 of the most impoverished families with modest cash assistance to puchase basic necessities. It will also support five fixed health stations and five mobile health units in the West Bank to bring health services to Palestinians who can no longer travel to health clinics that formerly served them.

The United States is UNRWA’s largest bilateral donor. In 2005 the United States contributed $88 million to UNRWA’s General Fund and another $20 million to its Emergency Appeal. Since 2000, on an average annual basis, the United States has provided 25 percent of UNRWA’s regular budget and 16 percent of its emergency requests.

USG Voluntary Contributions to UNRWA

Fiscal Year	Regular Budget	Emergency Appeal
2004	$87.4 million	$40 million
2005	$88.0 million	$20 million
2006	$84.15 million	$50.85 million

2006/688