UAE sending aid to help Palestinians get over coronavirus

Mohamed Abdelghaffar

The United Arab Emirates was always keen on backing the Palestinians. It is doing the same now, while they battle the coronavirus.

The Palestinian issue is a top priority for Arab governments, given the central nature of this issue and its importance for Arab citizens.

The coronavirus came to compound the problems of the Palestinian territories. This is especially so after the pandemic brought all economic activities inside the territories to a complete halt.

This was why the UAE was fast to offer support to the Palestinians. It sent 14 tons of medical supplies to them. The supplies came within a plan to help the Palestinian Authority contain the coronavirus.

The supplies included personal protection equipment, such as face shields, and medical equipment, including ventilators, according to the UAE official news agency, WAM.

In April, the UAE sent 70,000 food packages to the Palestinian territories to help Palestinian families get over the economic difficulties induced by the coronavirus.

The UAE International Humanitarian and Charity Organization dedicated $216,000 for the support of about 650 Palestinian orphan children. The support came in the form of foodstuffs. The organization also sent medical gowns for health service workers.

The UAE is one of the world’s largest supporters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, widely known as UNRWA.

Between 2013 and 2020, Abu Dhabi offered the agency $828 million in support.

United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, considered the UAE the most important partner of the Palestinian people, thanks to its continual support to them.

This support, he said, always comes at critical times, including during the current coronavirus emergency.