U.N. Officials and Donor Nations Call for Revival of Funding for Palestinian Aid Agency
After a review found that Israel had not provided evidence to support its claim that many employees of the main U.N. agency aiding Palestinians are members of terrorist organizations, U.N. officials and some donor nations are renewing calls to revive funding for the agency.
More than a dozen countries, including the United States, suspended funding to the agency, known as UNRWA, following Israel’s claims in January that a significant number of agency employees were linked to terrorist groups. However, an independent review commissioned by the United Nations found that Israel had yet to provide supporting evidence for these accusations.
The report, released on Monday, issued recommendations for the agency to protect its neutrality but did not address Israel’s specific claims about employee involvement in terrorist activities. The United Nations has since fired 10 of the 12 employees accused by Israel, with the remaining cases still under internal investigation.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has accepted the report’s recommendations and appealed for donors to support UNRWA, emphasizing its importance as a lifeline for Palestine refugees in the region. Several countries, including Australia, Canada, and Japan, have already resumed funding to the agency, citing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and steps taken by UNRWA to improve accountability.
While the United States has not yet made a decision on resuming donations to UNRWA, other countries like Ireland have expressed hope that suspended support will be reinstated. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, however, has called for the closure of UNRWA and its replacement with other international aid agencies.
Despite the challenges and controversies surrounding UNRWA, the European Union has announced a substantial increase in funds to the agency, emphasizing the importance of providing aid to Palestinians in need. As the debate continues, the future of funding for UNRWA remains uncertain, with ongoing calls for support from both U.N. officials and donor nations.
