Congress has suspended aid to UNRWA until March 2025 due to concerns raised by experts about the agency’s failure to address internal issues and investigate potential links to Hamas.
During a hearing before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee, three expert witnesses criticized a recent U.N. investigation into UNRWA’s operations in Gaza, calling it a cover-up. The investigation, led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna, was accused of being biased in favor of UNRWA.
The investigation was initiated in response to Israeli allegations of UNRWA’s connections to Hamas, a banned terrorist group. The allegations led to the suspension of $450 million in foreign aid, with the United States halting all aid to UNRWA until at least March 2025.
The Colonna report, released by a committee with close ties to UNRWA, was criticized for downplaying the seriousness of the allegations against the agency. The report obscured information regarding UNRWA employees’ involvement with Hamas and the agency’s connection to terrorist activities.
Despite the controversy surrounding UNRWA, some countries, including Australia, Canada, and Sweden, have resumed funding for the agency. However, critics like Hillel Neuer have raised concerns about the lack of transparency and impartiality in the investigation.
Neuer, who heads the U.N. Watch organization, accused UNRWA of suppressing dissenting voices and manipulating the investigation to exonerate the agency. He highlighted the conflicts of interest within the investigative committee and questioned the credibility of the report.
The decision to suspend aid to UNRWA reflects ongoing concerns about the agency’s accountability and its potential ties to terrorist organizations like Hamas. The investigation into UNRWA’s operations continues to be a subject of debate and scrutiny among experts and policymakers.
A former UNRWA spokesman later told Al Jazeera that the report by the former French foreign minister would provide donors with further justification. He criticized the report for stating the obvious about UNRWA’s essential role in providing humanitarian aid, calling it official UNWRA talking points. The report was compared to the Soviet Union’s deceptive constitution during Stalin’s era.
Yona Schiffmiller from NGO Monitor highlighted the challenges in holding UNRWA accountable due to Hamas’s influence. James G. Lindsay, a former general counsel for UNRWA, resigned from the organization after realizing it failed to properly vet staff for terror ties. The Colonna Report exposed the agency’s management deficiencies and lack of accountability.
Lindsay pointed out that many Palestinians designated as “refugees” by UNRWA do not meet the legal definition, as they are citizens of and reside in Jordan. The hearing faced disruptions from pro-Palestine demonstrators, with some displaying messages on their arms and T-shirts. Chairman Smith had to clear them from the chamber for violating rules against showing signs. Please provide a different version.
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