UNITED NATIONS – Recent presidential actions include halting U.S. funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), an agency facing longstanding accusations of terrorist ties, intensified by the October 7, 2023, Israel-Hamas conflict.
Funding cuts, initially implemented in January 2024 by the previous administration, followed Israeli claims of UNRWA involvement in Hamas attacks.
Hillel Neuer of UN Watch argues that UNRWA’s initial humanitarian goals have been subverted, transforming the agency into its opposite.
Established in 1949 for Palestinian refugee aid, UNRWA’s mandate is challenged by Neuer, who disputes the refugee status of Palestinians, citing President Trump’s Gaza proposal as revealing a hidden truth.
Neuer contends that both supporters and critics of Trump’s proposal implicitly negate Palestinian refugee status by accusing him of displacement, implying Gaza as their home.
However, UNRWA’s issues extend beyond definitional ambiguities. Neuer alleges the agency systematically hired terrorism supporters, citing Fathi al-Sharif, a Hamas leader in Lebanon, who headed a UNRWA school and teachers’ union, funded by U.S. taxpayers.
Similarly, Suhail al-Hindi, former head of a UNRWA Gaza staff union, was suspended and fired after his election to Hamas political office.
UNRWA responded by stating a policy prohibiting staff involvement in militant groups, emphasizing that such actions violate neutrality and jeopardize service delivery, citing al-Hindi’s dismissal and that of another staff member elected to Hamas office.
Neuer clarifies that Israel’s opposition to UNRWA is a relatively recent development, initially viewing the agency as convenient, but shifting significantly after the October 7, 2023, attacks.
In January 2024, UNRWA launched an investigation into staff participation in Hamas attacks, leading to immediate terminations upon confirmation of involvement.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN recently demanded UNRWA’s cessation of operations in Jerusalem and the evacuation of its premises, citing months of unsuccessful attempts to address impartiality concerns.
UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler criticized Israel’s October 2024 visa shortening for UNRWA staff as tantamount to eviction, but affirmed the agency’s commitment to remaining in other locations.
Despite Israel’s actions, Neuer criticizes the lack of meaningful action from other nations, including the U.S., describing past actions as largely symbolic.
Neuer describes UNRWA as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” highlighting examples of UN officials contradicting their mission and drawing a parallel to the debate surrounding anti-racism.
“Just like Americans were told for at least the past 5 years – maybe more – that anti-racism means you have to discriminate against white people, against heterosexuals, you know, all kinds of categories, we were told that’s tolerance, that’s equality. We were told that racism and discrimination was anti-racism and anti-discrimination. We were fed a pack of lies,” Neuer stated.
Regarding UNRWA and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Neuer asserts they are not humanitarian agencies but rather entities that have incentivized and legitimized terrorist groups.
UNRWA dismissed Neuer’s allegations, accusing UN Watch of spreading disinformation.
UNRWA maintains a process for reviewing misconduct allegations, including investigations and disciplinary measures up to and including dismissal.
President Trump’s executive order called for renewed scrutiny of UNHRC, UNRWA, and UNESCO, citing concerns about protecting human rights abusers and a failure to reform, respectively.