The largest humanitarian organization in Gaza, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has announced that their funding will only sustain core operations until the end of September.
“We urgently need additional funding to ensure a stable provision of food and essential aid to Gaza,” UNRWA said in a statement to The Epoch Times.
The agency seems to be hoping that Beijing can take on a larger share of donations to fill the gap. However, the hope seems slim as Beijing has donated very little compared to the publicity it has received.
Experts suggest that if the Chinese government is serious about alleviating the suffering in Gaza and making a substantive contribution to resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict, they should take more action rather than just making statements.
UNRWA stated that they need $1.2 billion to meet the basic needs of Gaza residents in the coming months, but they have only received 23% of the necessary funding.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established for Palestinian refugees, with over 1.7 million registered Palestinian refugees in Gaza who have relied on the agency for decades. Its funding primarily comes from voluntary donations from various governments and the UN regular budget.
The United States has historically been the largest financial contributor to UNRWA, providing over $7.3 billion since 1950. In 2023, U.S. donations accounted for nearly 30% of the total donations to the agency.
On January 26, 2024, the Biden administration temporarily “suspended” all U.S. funding to UNRWA due to 12 UNRWA staff members being involved in an attack against Israel led by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Hamas is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.
In March 2024, the U.S. Congress decided to prohibit funding to UNRWA until March 2025, requiring the agency to undergo investigation and reform.
UNRWA informed The Epoch Times that there is a significant shortfall in their annual operating budget.
With Gaza in dire need of assistance and the U.S. halting funds, Beijing appears to have identified a small window of opportunity to intervene.
China has not actively participated in the Palestinian issue in the past, nor has it explicitly condemned Hamas terrorist attacks following the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, after the attack on Haniel, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a strong statement against Israel.
On Thursday, August 1st, China made a high-profile announcement of a $3 million donation to UNRWA to support primary health services and emergency food aid in Gaza.
Zeng Jixin, the director of the Chinese Mission in Palestine, praised the support to Gaza at the ceremony, emphasizing that this $3 million donation was promised at the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in May by Chairman Xi Jinping.
Chinese mainland media and news portals extensively reported on this news.
Victoria Coates, Vice President of the Traditional Foundation and an expert on Middle East and China issues, told The Epoch Times, “Beijing likes to talk big on the Palestinian issue but has hardly produced any substantive results.”
Coates, who previously served as Deputy National Security Advisor in the Trump administration, is knowledgeable about Middle East and China affairs.
She stated that under the leadership of Chairman Xi Jinping, Beijing has been unwilling to invest resources and funds in Palestine.
“China’s actions here are merely symbolic,” Coates said. “While Beijing claims to support the mission of UNRWA, it has not chosen to do so. If Xi is serious about alleviating the suffering in the region and making a substantial contribution to resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict, he would do more.”
According to historical donation data released by UNRWA, by the end of 2023, Beijing confirmed a donation of 2 million to UNRWA, ranking 41st on the global donation list, the same as Russia’s donation.
Chinese contributions are even lower than those of other developing Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and India.
In 2022, China donated 1 million to UNRWA, with a similar ranking in 2023.
Manoj Kewalramani, a senior researcher at the China Project of the Strategic and International Studies Center in the United States, stated that China’s diplomatic efforts show a serious lack of willingness and ability to ease the situation in Gaza.
Kewalramani, an Indian scholar, analyzes Chinese media content daily and writes blogs on China’s positions on the Middle East.
In a blog analyzing China’s stance on the Middle East, he wrote, “Beijing’s promises of aid and humanitarian support to Gaza pale in comparison to America’s commitments.”
He pointed out that Beijing’s treatment of the Palestinian issue has cast a shadow over its seriousness.
In Kewalramani’s view, Beijing is trying to leverage current turmoil to improve relations with Arab countries and Iran, positioning itself as an arbitrator in shaping a new regional order.
“In addition to verbal support and diplomatic coordination with the United Nations, China has not taken substantive action,” Kewalramani added. “The instability in the Middle East is not conducive to China’s economic and strategic interests. However, it does add another serious diplomatic pressure on the United States, diverting U.S. attention from the Indo-Pacific region.”
In conclusion, while Beijing’s declarations demonstrate a certain level of concern for the region, their actions fall short of providing substantial support to alleviate the crisis in Gaza and contribute meaningfully to the resolution of the Israel-Hamas conflict.