It’s time to end UNRWA now that UN acknowledges employee involvement in Oct. 7
The United Nations conducted an investigation into alleged Hamas infiltration of UN bodies in Gaza and found minimal evidence of such activity. However, this investigation has been criticized for being biased in favor of the UN.
This revelation has raised concerns as it seems like an attempt to downplay the involvement of Hamas members in UNRWA activities, despite significant indications to the contrary.
The internal oversight arm of the UN released a report revealing that nine UNRWA employees participated in terrorist activities on a specific date, but overlooked broader evidence suggesting a larger number of UNRWA employees have links to Hamas.
Congress should not fall for this cover-up and should take decisive action, such as permanently cutting off US funding to UNRWA and imposing terrorism sanctions on the agency.
UNRWA, like the United Nations, does not categorize Hamas as a terrorist group, creating opportunities for Hamas infiltration within UNRWA operations.
Israeli security documents have revealed that a significant portion of UNRWA employees in Gaza have ties to Hamas, including direct involvement in the organization’s military activities.
Despite mounting evidence of UNRWA’s collaboration with Hamas, the UN’s investigation focused on a few individuals and failed to address the systemic issue within the agency.
It is imperative for Congress to take action to hold UNRWA accountable for its ties to terrorism and prevent further funding from reaching the agency.
Israel has discovered UNRWA facilities being used by Hamas, further highlighting the agency’s problematic collaborations.
UNRWA’s long history of promoting hate and incitement has contributed to violent incidents like the one on Oct. 7. The Biden administration’s recent endorsement of UNRWA’s role in Gaza is concerning and could pave the way for the resumption of US funding to the agency.
Congress must intervene to prevent this and consider imposing terrorism sanctions on UNRWA to cut off its financial support completely.
The current support for UNRWA contradicts the goal of promoting peace and stability in the region, and alternative organizations without terrorist ties should be considered for aid distribution.
It is time to end the UN’s association with Hamas and disband UNRWA to ensure a more effective and unbiased approach to assisting Palestinians in need.
David May is a research manager at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where Richard Goldberg is a senior advisor.
