Palestinians protesting UNRWA cut in services and US plans to liquidate the humanitarian organization. (WAFA Images/Ayman Noubani) 

NABLUS, February 20, 2018 (WAFA) – Dozens of Palestinians participated on Tuesday in a protest in Nablus in the northern West Bank against cut in services by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in addition to dismissal of 158 teachers and what they said was American conspiracy against the Palestinian refugee issue.

The protesters, who included the fired teachers and representatives of national forces and institutions, demanded from the UN agency to reinstate the teachers and resume full services to the camps it runs.

Nasser Abu Kishek, member of UNRWA Arab employees , told WAFA that current administration is proceeding with cut in services, which seem to go along with US plans to end the agency’s work in the West Bank.

He said former UNRWA cuts affected refugees, but today they are affecting employees, in reference to the dismissed teachers.

UNRWA decided to lay off 158 teachers who do not have a college degree after hiring them on condition of completing at least four years of college.

Participants expressed concern that cutting services is going to mainly hurt the refugees and eventually serve US and Israeli interest in seeing the agency dismantled as a way to liquidate the Palestinian refugee issue, one of the main points of the final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

“We will not accept the termination of UNRWA services until the issue of the Palestinian refugee is solved,” said Husni Odeh, head of service committee in Askar refugee camp. “We insist on keeping it as a humanitarian and moral organization,” he said.

C.K./M.K.