Denmark will increase its pledge amount to the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees, the Ritzau news bureau reported on Tuesday. Denmark's Ambassador to the UN, Ellen Margrethe Loej, used Monday's annual donor conference of the UN's Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) to express Denmark's complete confidence in the work of the agency's director, Peter Hansen.

Earlier this year, Israel accused UNRWA and Peter Hansen of using the agency's ambulances to transport weapons on behalf of Palestinian insurgents.

"In light of recent serious accusations against UNRWA which proved unsubstantiated, Denmark is troubled by the risk that the misconception that UNRWA is not a nonpartisan aid group could spread among Israeli security forces," Loej said at Tuesday's meeting.

"A perception of this sort could bear serious negative aftereffects for the security of UNRWA personnel as well as the organization's ability to carry out its work," he added.

The UN Ambassador also pledged 60 million krone (8 million euros) on Denmark's behalf for UNRWR operations in 2005. The amount is equal to Denmark's donation in 2004, but Loej indicated that the government was prepared to raise the amount after 2008.

Loej also pledged that Denmark would continue to contribute to emergency appeals from UNRWA regarding the current humanitarian situation in the area.

"Denmark is deeply worried that living conditions for the most vulnerable Palestinians - the refugees and the children - have steadily worsened on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. We regret that UNRWA has been forced to suspend many of its normal operations," said the ambassador.