Date: October 29, 2025
Abu Holi Commends Germany’s Steadfast Support to UNRWA, Ranking It as the Agency’s Top Donor
• He urged Germany to lead a collective European Union initiative to renew UNRWA’s mandate and provide additional funding to support its budget.
• He also called on Germany to play an active role in supporting and financing the Arab plan for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction.
⸻
Dr. Ahmed Abu Holi, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Head of the PLO’s Department of Refugee Affairs, discussed with the Head of the German Representative Office to the State of Palestine, Ambassador Anke Schlüm, the financial crisis facing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), as well as the operational and political challenges confronting it and the upcoming renewal of its mandate at the UN General Assembly in December.
During the meeting, held today (Wednesday) at the Department’s headquarters in Ramallah, Abu Holi reviewed the situation of Palestinian refugees in the camps, the ongoing Israeli attacks targeting them, recent developments in the Palestinian issue, and international efforts to stabilize the ceasefire and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Abu Holi commended Germany’s consistent and firm position in support of the two-state solution as the only path toward peace and stability in the Middle East, and its continued support for development programs and institutional capacity-building in Palestine, including assistance to municipalities and local councils, as well as youth empowerment projects.
He praised Germany’s steadfast support for UNRWA and its continued operation until a just solution is found for the Palestinian refugee issue, noting that German funding reached $156.5 million in 2024 and $129.9 million in 2025, placing Germany at the top of UNRWA’s donor list.
Abu Holi stated: “UNRWA needs $120 million to maintain its operations for November and December, yet there are no indications that it will receive new financial pledges before the end of the year. This will paralyze its work and prevent it from delivering services or paying staff salaries for the coming two months.”
He called on the German government to provide additional financial support to UNRWA’s 2025 budget, enabling it to continue providing services to 5.9 million Palestinian refugees across its areas of operation, and commended Germany’s active role in UNRWA’s Sub-Committee and Advisory Commission.
Abu Holi affirmed that Germany has been one of UNRWA’s main and most reliable donors since 2005, contributing over 21 years to the agency’s financial stability. He added that German funding has allowed UNRWA to continue serving more than 6.2 million Palestinian refugees in its five fields of operation.
He pointed out that the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in its advisory opinion issued on October 22, 2025, affirmed UNRWA’s adherence to neutrality and non-discrimination in aid distribution and obligated Israel to cooperate with the Agency and respect its privileges and immunities — a decision that strengthens support for UNRWA without imposing new donor conditions that have worsened its financial crisis.
Abu Holi urged Germany to lead a collective European initiative to pressure Israel to suspend the two laws restricting UNRWA’s activities in Jerusalem and undermining its operations in the West Bank and Gaza. He also called for support for the renewal of UNRWA’s mandate for another three years (2026–2029) without altering its core mandate, and to back Norway’s efforts at the United Nations to translate the ICJ’s legal opinion into binding political resolutions.
Abu Holi stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between Palestine and Germany and urged the German government to recognize the State of Palestine, praising Germany’s refusal to export any military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza, describing the decision as “a step in the right direction and an effective pressure tool that contributed to halting the escalation and facilitating humanitarian access.”
He also called on Germany to actively support and finance the Arab Recovery and Reconstruction Plan for Gaza, endorsed by the European Union, the New York Declaration, and the Trump ceasefire plan, affirming that Germany will play a key role in the reconstruction efforts.
Abu Holi emphasized that UNRWA remains the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza, covering about 60% of total aid delivered during the war, and that it remains indispensable in the absence of a political solution to the refugee issue, serving as both a lifeline for millions of refugees and a pillar of regional stability.
He noted that the Department of Refugee Affairs maintains a strategic partnership with the German Development Agency (GIZ) through the PART II and CASP projects aimed at enhancing community participation and improving service quality in the camps. He expressed the Department’s desire to expand cooperation with GIZ to strengthen refugee resilience and alleviate their suffering.
For her part, Ambassador Anke Schlüm reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to continue supporting UNRWA and the Palestinian people, noting that her country is currently implementing five humanitarian and development projects in cooperation with KfW and GIZ, in addition to allocating around $29 million in humanitarian assistance to Gaza during the war.
She emphasized that the German government recognizes UNRWA’s importance, particularly its accurate databases that ensure efficient program implementation. She added that she would convey the Department’s messages to the German government and reaffirmed Germany’s continued support for UNRWA and the Palestinian cause.
The meeting was attended by Anwar Hamam, Deputy Head of the Department of Refugee Affairs, and Mai Odeh, Head of International Relations at the Department.
