2023 discharge: General budget of the EU - European External Action Service

Tabled by Pasquale Tridico

10. Recalls that there have been allegations regarding the involvement of Added: 19 out of 13.000 UNRWA employees in Gaza in the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel on 7 October 2023; notes that in response to these allegations, Added: and after the investigations of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), nine staff members had their employment formally terminated by the UNRWA; underlines … the UNRWA to improve control systems, in line with recommendations from the Removed: UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), Added: OIOS, including the screening of Removed: staff Added: staff, a Union audit by Union-appointed independent internal experts and the strengthening of internal investigative and ethical frameworks; Removed: stresses that following the concerns repeatedly raised by Parliament regarding the misuse of Union funding, any Union aid should not under any circumstances be financing terrorism; urges continued vigilance in ensuring Added: welcomes that all disbursements have been released by the Commission following the full implementation of these conditions, which continues to be monitored by the Commission services; recalls that the taxpayer money is not Removed: misused; stresses the importance of controls to ensure compliance with Union rules and international law by beneficiaries of Union funds, as well as the need for enhanced measures to prevent misuse of Union financial support; encourages the EEAS to reinforce efforts to safeguard Union funding, and to monitor the implementation of the milestones outlined in the agreement between Commissioner Várhelyi and the UNRWA Commissioner General Lazzarini in April 2024, which includes provisions for conducting Union audits and reinforcing internal oversight at the UNRWA; underlines the need for the Palestinian Authority to align all educational materials with UNESCO standards, particularly removing any content that includes antisemitism or incitement to violence; stresses that Union financial support for the Palestinian Authority in the area of education should be provided on the condition that these standards are met; Added: to be misused; recalls the findings of the Georg Eckert Institute's Union-funded report, which revealed a complex picture on the Palestinian textbooks; notes that the Union does not fund the Palestinian Textbooks, and that neither are they the responsibility of UNRWA, which nevertheless reviews all issued textbooks to address any problematic content; encourages the EEAS to support diplomatic efforts for a comprehensive and sustainable Removed: solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to keep Parliament informed about any developments in Union cooperation with the Palestinian Authority; Added: peace based on the International law, protection of civilians and the two-state solution;

Wording as published by the EP, in English. PE772.540