A coalition of activists and former government officials will permanently defund the United Nations agency over reports that some of its staff took part in recent terrorist attacks on Israel, according to a Monday letter obtained by the agency. He called on Congress to terminate it. Daily Caller News Foundation.
A recent letter sent by the conservative policy nonprofit Advancing American Freedom includes Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Democratic Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Democratic Majority Leader, Senator Charles Schumer (New York), and Republican Minority Leader, Senator Mitch McConnell (Kentucky).
“The U.S. Congress has aggressively defunded the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA), and the Biden administration is directly or indirectly directing taxpayer funding and support to an openly anti-Semitic and now clearly terrorist organization.” “It is a moral obligation to prohibit such provision.” A letter written.
The report said the United States could not continue to fund the agency “in good conscience,” adding that funding UNRWA would cross “a red line that should not be crossed.”
“For years, the American people have believed that UNRWA is just a humanitarian organization that needs American citizens’ hard-earned tax dollars to provide services to millions of Palestinians who are mislabeled as ‘refugees.’ “I have been told a series of lies designed to create a false understanding that this is the case.”
The nonprofit group’s letter to Congress includes former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, former U.S. Agency for International Development Deputy Administrator Bonnie Glick, and Concerned Women for America CEO Penny Nance, president emeritus of 70 It was signed by more than 1,000 activists and former government officials. Jenny Beth Martin of Tea Party Patriot Action and Republican Jewish Federation CEO Matt Brooks.
Last month, the United States temporarily withdrew funding from UNRWA after reports surfaced that at least a dozen staff members were suspected of being directly involved in the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. Blaze News previously reported.
Approximately 1,200 UNRWA employees have ties to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to leaked documents from Israeli intelligence. As a result of the investigation, nine employees were fired.
“Israeli authorities have provided UNRWA with information regarding the alleged involvement of several UNRWA personnel in the horrific attack on Israel on October 7,” said UNRWA Executive Director Philippe Lazzarini.
“To protect UNRWA’s ability to provide humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these personnel and to launch an investigation to uncover the truth without delay. All will be punished, including criminal prosecution,” Lazzarini added.
In January, the U.S. State Department responded to the report by suspending “additional funding to UNRWA while it reviews these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them.” did. press release.
“The United States is extremely troubled by allegations that 12 UNRWA personnel may have been involved in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel,” the State Department said. The UN agency claimed it was “playing a critical role in providing life-saving assistance to the Palestinian people.”
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