Top Palestinian officials and Hamas have criticized certain Western countries for suspending funding to the United Nations (UN) relief agency for Palestinians, urging an immediate reversal of the decision due to significant risks involved.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) recently initiated an investigation following allegations from Israel that some of its employees were involved in the October 7 attacks, which have led to the current conflict.
As a result of these allegations, several Western countries have decided to suspend or temporarily pause their funding to the agency, a move that the head of UNRWA referred to as “shocking”. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini emphasized the threat to humanitarian work in the region, especially in Gaza, and urged countries to reconsider their decisions to avoid the risk of mass starvation.
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary General Hussein al-Sheikh echoed Lazzarini’s concerns, emphasizing the critical need for support to the international organization amid the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people.
While Australia, Canada, Italy, and the United States have announced a halt in funding to UNRWA, the European Union has expressed a willingness to assess further steps based on the outcome of a comprehensive investigation. Additionally, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have also decided to temporarily pause financial aid to the UN agency.
However, Ireland and Norway continue to express their support for UNRWA, acknowledging the agency’s crucial work in providing assistance to displaced Palestinians in Gaza.
Hamas denounced Israeli “threats” against the agency and urged the UN and other international organizations not to succumb to pressure from Israel. UNRWA has responded to the allegations by terminating the contracts of several employees and launching an investigation to determine the truth without delay.
The United States and Canada have both announced the temporary cessation of funding to UNRWA while the investigation is ongoing.
Several countries, including the UK, Italy, Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany, have similarly decided to temporarily halt funding to UNRWA while the investigation is in progress.
Israel has expressed support for the countries that have halted their support to the UN agency, stating its intention to stop UNRWA’s operations entirely once the conflict in Gaza has ended.
UNRWA was established in 1950 to provide essential services to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who were displaced following the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. Today, the agency supports nearly 6 million Palestinians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Despite its efforts, UNRWA’s shelters in Gaza have been targeted by Israeli missiles during the conflict, hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has committed to conducting an urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA in response to Israel’s allegations.
