PDA, UNRWA discuss challenges in refugee camps

Amman: Director General of the Department of Palestinian Affairs (DPA), Rafiq Khirfan, and Director of UNRWA Affairs, Olaf Becker, on Saturday discussed the key challenges and problems facing the Kingdom's refugee camps, aimed to reach solutions. During the two officials's visit to Martyr Azmi el-Mufti and Souf refugee camps in the northern governorates of Irbid and Jerash, Khirfan said the Royal initiatives have covered all refugee camps and all their sectors, and had a "remarkable" impact in improving the living conditions of the camps' residents, especially the education benefaction, which is currently being developed through the e-platform. Furthermore, Khirfan valued generosity of His Majesty King Abdullah II and his great efforts to stop the war on Gaza, deliver aid, and establish field hospitals equipped with medical personnel and basic medical supplies. Khirfan urged all camp residents to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, as the voting process is a constitutional right for every citizen. For his part, Becker expressed appreciation for efforts of His Majesty King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, for supporting UNRWA to ensure its continuity. Becker noted that UNRWA is currently facing "great" difficulty, especially in Gaza, where many facilities were destroyed, and 200 of its staff were lost during the war. Becker added that UNRWA was politically targeted by Israel, which increased severity of its current financial crisis, noting that the agency continued its work in Gaza despite this situation, and provided aid by all available means. The two sides answered the attendees' questions and inquiries, stressing their efforts to find solutions to the multiple problems facing the two camps, according to a PDA statement. Source: Jordan News Agency