People walk past the UNRWA Vocational Training Centre, where Israeli security forces have remained since raiding the facility on August 25, at the Qalandia refugee camp, south of the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, on August 27, 2026. Photo: Zain Jaafar / AFP / Lehtikuva
Domestic
Finnish opposition politicians and development organisations are pressing the government to reverse its decision to end direct funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, arguing that other humanitarian organisations cannot replace UNRWA's operations in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Finland has provided UNRWA with €5 million a year under its 2023–2026 funding agreement.
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio announced on 27 August that Finland would not renew the agreement when it expires. He said Finland's overall funding for the Palestinian territories would not decline and that money would instead pass through other organisations, including the World Food Programme.
