UN agency funding restoration bill backed by Dem lawmakers: 'Absolutely necessary'

A group of Democratic legislators is advocating for the U.S. to reinstate funding to a contentious United Nations organization that provides vital humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees, despite allegations that some of its staff were involved in the October 7th attacks on Israel.

On Thursday afternoon, during a press conference held outside the U.S. Capitol, several Democratic representatives, including André Carson of Indiana, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, emphasized the importance of passing H.R. 9649, the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act, in aiding the people of Gaza.

The bill sponsor, Carson, depicted the situation in Gaza as "absolutely deplorable" and "inhumane," emphasizing the dire conditions.

Carson stated that approximately one million Gazans will not have enough food this month, with 700,000 women and girls in Gaza lacking access to menstrual products and basic necessities such as running water and toilet paper. Additionally, 100,000 Palestinians have been seriously injured without access to functioning hospitals, and 41,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since Oct. 7th.

Jayapal stated that for many years, UNRWA has been crucial in assisting Palestinian refugees in maintaining a decent standard of living.

Unfortunately, UNWRA has been subjected to continuous attacks from those who seek to halt its vital work. The abrupt cessation of funding posed an unnecessary and perilous obstacle to the continuation of the humanitarian aid that is so desperately needed.

Over the course of Israel's ongoing conflict with Hamas, UNRWA has been a key agency in providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza. The organization has approximately 30,000 employees.

The U.N.'s Office of Internal Oversight Services was instructed by U.N. Secretary General António Guterres to investigate allegations made by Israel that UNRWA staff participated in the Oct. 7 massacre.

Nine UNRWA staff members were dismissed following an investigation, while nearly 20 others were investigated but no evidence was found against them.

The suspension of funding for UNRWA due to Israel's allegations led to a $450 million cash crunch. However, all donor countries except for the U.S. have resumed funding.

Schakowsky criticized the U.S.'s decision to cut funding to UNRWA, stating that it was "unjust" that only a "small fraction" of the agency's approximately 30,000 employees were accused of engaging in terrorist activities.

"Among our allies who had stopped funding UNRWA, every other country has reversed its decision, except for the United States. This puts at risk the people in Gaza who are dying daily due to lack of basic needs, including children, women, families, and everyone. This is shameful, and we cannot allow it to continue."

While H.R. 9649 has garnered support from 65 co-sponsors and over 100 human rights organizations, not all individuals are in favor of restoring funding.

The UNRWA's alleged "connections to terrorism" are being whitewashed by lawmakers' support of H.R. 9649, which sends the wrong message to Israel and America's enemies at the wrong time, according to Anne Bayefsky, Director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and President of Human Rights Voices.

UNRWA employees were directly involved in the atrocities of October 7, according to Bayefsky. Additionally, 10% of UNRWA employees are reported to have links to multiple Palestinian terror organizations. Furthermore, a significant portion of UNRWA's senior education leadership are members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Bayefsky stated in a Planet Chronicle Digital statement.

UNRWA facilities, including schools, have been utilized as Hamas command and control centers and weapons depots, and UNRWA's Gaza headquarters powered a Hamas data center directly beneath it, according to Bayefsky.

Bayefsky criticized the UNRWA for not taking "serious steps towards accountability or prevention" despite demanding more funding.

"Bayefsky stated that UNRWA's ties to Palestinian terrorism are a result of its schools teaching Palestinian Arabs to hate Jews, which distorts the definition of a refugee and is used to harm the Jewish state. Additionally, spreading false information about Israelis and Palestinians harms the chances of peaceful coexistence and benefits no one."

The UNRWA has been contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for comment on H.R. 9649. In response, the U.N. stated that it does not comment on legislation in other countries. However, the U.N. emphasized that UNRWA is a crucial component of humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people and should be supported.