A group of Senate lawmakers drafted a letter urging for the permanent cessation of financial aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency due to intelligence reports claiming that at least 12 of its employees were involved in Hamas-orchestrated attacks on Israel. The letter, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and signed by 24 GOP senators, highlighted the agency’s history of corruption, antisemitism, and support for terrorism. It was revealed that the U.N. employees linked to Hamas included teachers and other staff who partook in attacking and kidnapping Israelis. UNRWA provides humanitarian aid to 2 million civilians in Gaza and has suffered significant casualties among its employees during the recent conflict. The letter also referenced the Trump administration’s decision to halt funding for UNRWA, a move that was reversed by the Biden administration, resulting in substantial contributions to the agency. The senators called for concrete actions, advocating for the permanent termination of U.S. contributions to UNRWA and cited specific legislation, including the UNRWA Accountability and Transparency Act co-sponsored by Sen. Romney and Sen. Lee, which aims to restrict funding until strict criteria are met.
Sen. Mike Lee also expressed his concerns about the temporary halt in funding, emphasizing the need for a permanent cessation and proposing a bill to defund the U.N., providing the U.S. with greater control over engagement with the organization. Additionally, Rep. John Curtis introduced a bill to reevaluate which U.N. agencies align with U.S. interests and merit continued funding.
