Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade
Engagement with UNRWA Deputy Director John Whyte
2:00 am
Mr. John Whyte:
In respect of INGOs, they are facing challenges around re-registration. Again, it is partly around Israeli control over who works for who doing what and having control over that. They have control over everything. Yes, it threatens their ongoing viability and their ability to be present. We are working remotely and stuck with our supplies while working to get them in. Many INGOs are also in a similar situation to us and are facing the exact same challenges. We are meeting them outside to scratch our heads and try to figure out if there is anything different we could try. Of course, there is a funnel but there is so much aid outside and so little being able to get in. We are all trying to get in and then whatever gets in is getting looted anyway. It is really bleak at the moment.
Regarding South Sudan, I alluded to it earlier without mentioning the country but, yes, there is pressure on other countries to take large numbers of Palestinians. It is a political issue and not within my remit.
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