Austria becomes 12th country to stop UNRWA funding after Israel’s dossier staff complicity in Oct 7 Hamas massacre

Austria Monday became the 12th country to suspend funding for UNRWA— UN body that takes care of Palestinian refugees—after Israel shared with the US Friday the dossier it had compiled detailing alleged complicity of UNRWA staffers in the October 7 massacre in cahoots with Hamas.

Over the weekend, eleven UNRWA donor countries—the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Finland, France, Switzerland, and Japan—suspended funding to the agency considering the evidence provided by Israel.

Austria’s Foreign Ministry last Friday had called allegations against UNRWA “shocking and alarming”.

We therefore expect immediate action by the @UN!

➡️ comprehensive and swift investigation
➡️ full accountability of staff involved
➡️ transparent and detailed explanation of next steps to be taken.

— MFA Austria (@MFA_Austria) January 26, 2024

Vienna also castigated UN saying that it must be “beyond reproach”, calling for the agency to take immediate and swift probe into the charges, accountability of staff and the next steps to be taken.

According to the Times of Israel, Austria was the 22nd largest funder of the agency, donating nearly $8 million to UNRWA in 2022.

UN chief Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, has “strongly” urged these countries to lift the funding sanctions and “guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations”.

"The tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalised. The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met,” Guterres said.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, on the other hand, sounded defiant. "It would be immensely irresponsible to sanction an Agency and an entire community it serves because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement and political crises in the region. "