Pressure has been increasing on UNRWA, the United Nations agency aiding Palestinian refugees, due to its failure to condemn armed terror groups in the Gaza Strip using its facilities for attacks against Israel. Israeli lawmakers have approved a bill to cut ties with UNRWA and declare it a terrorist entity. The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee also passed legislation to freeze funding and recover donated money. Richard Goldberg, a former Trump NSC staff member, stated that UNRWA must be disqualified from any future role in Gaza to prevent violence and instability.
Israel has accused UNRWA of perpetuating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by catering exclusively to Palestinian refugees and their descendants. The agency was established in 1949 to assist Palestinians displaced when Israel was created, but it continues to support the descendants of those refugees regardless of their current status. UNRWA has received significant funding from countries like the U.S., Germany, EU, and France, but after evidence emerged of its employees participating in terror attacks, the U.S. and other countries paused funding. The U.K. recently announced plans to resume funding for UNRWA’s work in Gaza.
Israel’s Defense Minister revealed that dozens of UNRWA employees took part in an Oct. 7 terror attack in southern Israel, resulting in numerous deaths and hostages. The U.N.’s Office of Internal Oversight Services is investigating these claims, but the U.K. and other countries have resumed funding despite ongoing battles between terror groups and the Israeli military near UNRWA facilities. UNRWA’s Commissioner General condemned the misuse of the agency’s facilities by various parties but has not been forceful in denouncing Hamas and other terror groups for using these locations for violence.
UNRWA continues to face calls for defunding and scrutiny for its alleged connections to terrorist organizations. Lawmakers in Israel have proposed legislation to prevent UNRWA from operating in the country and strip its personnel of diplomatic privileges. In the U.S., members of Congress are pushing for the recovery of funds previously given to UNRWA, citing the agency’s alleged ties to terrorism and incitement of hatred against Jews. Anne Bayefsky, a human rights advocate, emphasized the need to hold UNRWA accountable for its role in perpetuating violence and antisemitism.
The pushback against UNRWA comes amid ongoing conflicts in the region and concerns over the agency’s involvement in these tensions. Efforts to hold UNRWA accountable for its actions are gaining momentum, with calls for the organization to address its role in perpetuating violence and aligning with terror groups. As investigations continue and debates over funding intensify, the future of UNRWA remains uncertain. The agency’s response to these allegations and demands for accountability will likely shape its reputation and operations in the coming months.
