Congress included a measure to block funding to the controversial United Nations agency, which is under investigation for alleged ties to Hamas.
Israel applauded the move to block funding. It was passed early Saturday morning as part of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) spending bill.
“The historic ban on U.S. funding to UNRWA, passed today with overwhelming bipartisan support, shows what we have known all along,” Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. “UNRWA is part of the problem and cannot be part of the solution,” the Israeli foreign minister wrote. Social media platform X is urging other countries to follow suit.
“In the aftermath of Hamas, UNRWA will no longer be part of the Gaza landscape,” Katz wrote. “Thousands of UNRWA personnel have been involved in Hamas terrorist activities and their facilities have been used for terrorist purposes.”
UNRWA suffered a budget freeze in January after allegations emerged that at least 12 of its staff had links to and aided Hamas during the October 7 attack on Israel. The United States first cut funding based on information shared by Israel, followed by several other key allies, and UNRWA fired 12 employees named in the charges.
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While some countries, such as Canada and Sweden, have resumed funding based on their own preliminary reviews, the United States has included new provisions in the $1.2 trillion government spending bill passed Friday night, allowing UNRWA and He doubled down on his promise to keep his distance. It passed the House and was approved by the Senate on Saturday.
A demonstrator holds a flag outside the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The Palestine Refugee Council organized a demonstration in support of UNRWA, which coincided with an advisory committee meeting in Beirut with donor and refugee-hosting countries. (Ahmed Zakot/SOPA Images/LightRocket, Getty Images)
The bill included a ban on funding to UNRWA for the remainder of the 2024 calendar year and a suspension of funding until March 25, 2025.
“Notwithstanding the provisions of any other division of this Act, appropriations made by this Act or any other law making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs, including the provisions of any law providing for supplemental appropriations to the Department. , or otherwise made available to national operations, foreign operations, and related programs, may not be used for contributions, grants, or other payments to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.” It is stated in the item.
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UNRWA claimed in a statement earlier this week that funding cuts “could undermine efforts to support Gazans and further weaken regional stability.”
Hamas terrorists kidnap bloody Israeli woman to Gaza Strip. (Hamas Telegram)
However, the bill also sets aside $175 million in funding for other humanitarian projects in the West Bank and Gaza, which will be distributed through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), according to the Times of Israel. It is said that there are plans to do so.
This funding will continue to be subject to strict scrutiny of its spending, distribution and subsequent review to avoid diversion to Hamas and other terrorist and extremist organizations in the Palestinian territories.
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The United States is also pushing ahead with President Biden’s plan to establish a temporary jetty in the Mediterranean Sea to provide a maritime corridor for the delivery of humanitarian aid. The first ship carrying equipment needed to construct the pier left Cyprus on March 10, Military Times reported.
US Capitol Building in Washington DC (FOX News Photo/Joshua Commins)
UNRWA is currently undergoing two investigations to uncover the full extent of its alleged ties to Hamas.According to Israeli intelligence, the ties to Hamas are very deep, and UNRWA officials have ties to the terrorist organization. It is said to include hundreds or even thousands of people.
The UN investigation conducted by the Office of Internal Oversight (OIOS) is expected to publish its findings in April, but an interim report provided to UN Secretary-General António Guterres suggests that some countries may withdraw their funding freezes to the UN. We provided information that will give you an opportunity to do so. agency.
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A separate independent investigation, conducted by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, was launched following allegations against UNRWA officials, citing concerns, among other things, that UNRWA was not maintaining a policy of neutrality.
Coronana’s group will release its interim report on March 20, 2024, with the completed report expected to be released exactly one month later. The interim report asserted that URNWA “has a number of mechanisms and procedures in place to ensure compliance with the principle of humanitarian neutrality, and the group has also identified key areas that still need to be addressed.” .
