14 APRIL 2021

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today¡¯s noon briefing by St¨¦phane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

/…

Questions and Answers

/…

Question:? On Palestine and Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees), so, last week ¡ª and you talked about it ¡ª the US donated $150?million, I think, if I¡¯m not mistaken.? How disappointed are you, actually, given the fact this number is not even¡­ it¡¯s almost half of the¡­ what they were giving before they stopped and given the fact, also, that the US aid to Israel is $3.6?billion, and it doesn¡¯t go actually to the poor people in Israel.? It¡¯s mostly military aid.? So, can you¡­

Spokesman:? The history of bilateral aid between the US and Israel is¡­ has been clear for a long time.? Our focus is on what we can get for Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA.? We¡¯re grateful for this¡­ I think, this return of the United States to Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA and a very vocal return.

Obviously, as with any donors, we¡¯re happy when we get money.? We¡¯d be happier if we got more money.? I mean, that¡¯s a fact.? But we very much hope that the US decision will also move other donors who had left when the US left to return and return with generosity.

/…

For information media. Not an official record.