Refugee chief warns against cutting Palestinian aid

The emergence of a Hamas government will not threaten UNRWA aid, Karen Koning Abu Zayd told a news conference in the Jordanian capital Amman as the agency ended two days of talks with donors.

"We are not scared at all. Our aid will continue. There is no threat to our aid," she said.

But she added "we are concerned about aid that might (not) go to the non-refugees," particularly to Palestinians on the West Bank who rely on salaries paid by the Palestinian Authority.

"If there is a cutback on salaries being paid for non-refugees ... this will create a humanitarian crisis," she said.

"In Gaza most of the people are refugees, we can probably manage there.

"But in the West Bank a lot of refugees do not use our services. They go to local government hospitals, schools. So if there is a cutback there will be many more refugees asking for our services," she said.

The Palestinian Authority has been desperate for funds since Israel imposed a raft of reprisals against the new administration being formed by Hamas, which is branded a terrorist group in the West.

The United States, and other key aid providers to the Palestinians, have been reviewing their assistance.

But US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said earlier this month that Washington would continue to contribute to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA).

And on Monday, the European Union unblocked 120 million euros to help the transitional Palestinian government fund its basic needs for about two months.

Abu Zayd described the EU measure as "good news".

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