On Friday, the Biden administration announced a suspension of funds for the United Nations organization tasked with aiding Palestinian refugees. The decision comes from allegations that 12 of its staff members have implicated themselves in the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 22: U.S. President Joe Biden attends a meeting of the Reproductive Health Task Force at the White House on January 22, 2024 in Washington, DC. Biden met with the task force to discuss reproductive health and to mark the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.
"The United States is extremely troubled by the allegations that twelve UNRWA employees may have been involved in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel," expressed State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement obtained by The Hill. Miller's statement pertains to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a United Nations body dedicated to serving Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip.
"The Department of State has temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them, said Miller."
The Biden administration bypassed a longstanding congressional block on funds by delivering $75 million to UNRWA in October, amidst criticisms over concerns about Hamas members employed by the organization, as reported by The Hill.
According to MINT, the U.S. announcement shortly came after UNRWA said it fired the staff in question and declared it would investigate the claims against them. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "is horrified by the news" and asked UNRWA Director-General Philippe Lazzarini to refer the accused for prosecution, his office said in a statement.
What Will The Fallout Be?
The accusations will be a setback for UNRWA, an organization that offers humanitarian aid for Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank.
The organization has also paid a heavy price in Israel's bombardment of Gaza, with more than 150 of its staff killed on the ground by Israeli forces.
Former President Donald Trump also cut back on U.S. funding for UNRWA early in his presidency. Subsequently, President Joe Biden restored a significant amount of that funding, with a contribution of more than $296 million from the U.S. in 2023.
However, despite the claims, the U.S. noted that it continues to support the group. UNRWA plays "a critical role in providing lifesaving assistance to Palestinians, including essential food, medicine, shelter, and other vital humanitarian support," reported MINT from the same statement.
