JEDDAH — During the last two decades, Saudi Arabia has donated more than $6.5 billion to the Palestinians, becoming one of the top financial aid providers to the Palestinians. Between 2000-20, Saudi Arabia has provided more than to $6,473,586,361 in aid to the State of Palestine, of which about $250 million were allocated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), according to the Kingdom's humanitarian groups. Earlier in May, Saudi Arabia said it will be donating $2.66 million to help the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip combat the COVID-19 coronavirus, according to an initiative by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief). The initiative aims to provide aid and supplies to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in Palestine worth more than SR10 million. This includes 12 categories of medical supplies. According to KSRelief's data posted on its website, $2,061,005,465 had been allocated to Palestine across 217 separate projects. At least 195 projects, some 89 percent of the total number, had been allocated specifically for humanitarian aid and emergency relief efforts. Earlier in May, Saudi Arabia's deputy permanent representative to the UN, Dr. Khaled Manzlawiy said Riyadh is proud to be one of the largest donors to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). "(Knowing) the noble role the agency serves for more than 5 million Palestinian refugees — and because of its belief in the (importance) of the Palestinian cause — the Kingdom has supported UNRWA with more than $1 billion since 1994, which the humanitarian organization described as clear evidence of the Kingdom's wish to ensure Palestinian refugees enjoy dignity and well-being," Manzlawiy was quoted as saying by the Saudi Press Agency at the time. Manzlawiy was speaking during a virtual briefing on the investigations of the Office of Internal Oversight Services and various UNRWA initiatives given by UNRWA Commissioner Gen. Philippe Lazzarin.
