U.S. officials are preparing for a potential permanent halt in American funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Funding from the U.S. and several other Western nations was suspended in January, following allegations of UNRWA staff involvement in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.
UNRWA is presently under investigation regarding the allegations.
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Representative Brian Mast, R-Fla, claimed that UNRWA “masquerades as a relief organization while building the infrastructure to support Hamas… it is literally funneling American tax dollars to terrorism.”
As the largest donor to UNRWA, providing $300-400 million annually, the U.S. aims to await the investigation’s results before reconsidering funding.
A spokesperson for the agency stressed UNRWA’s broader role beyond Gaza, encompassing health care, education and social services in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Even if U.S. funding resumes funding, only $300,000 in appropriated funds would be released without congressional approval.
A U.S. congressional bill, which includes aid to Israel and Ukraine, carries a provision that blocks UNRWA funding, and it is supported by President Biden’s administration.
UNRWA is currently conducting an independent review. Earlier this year, the agency terminated a dozen employees over allegations of ties to Hamas. According to a recent UNRWA report, some employees claim they were coerced by Israel into making false statements linking the agency to Hamas.
Sweden and Canada have pledged to restart their contributions to UNRWA.
