Italy, Canada, Australia join US in suspending funding for UN agency for Palestinian refugees

Italy, Canada, and Australia joined the United States in withdrawing their financial support for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees. The decision follows allegations that some UNRWA workers were involved in the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel carried out by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

“The Italian government has suspended financing of the UNRWA after the atrocious attack on Israel on October 7,” Tajani posted on social media platform X, adding that some of Italy’s allies had already taken the same decision.

Il Governo italiano ha sospeso finanziamenti @UNRWA dopo l’atroce attacco di Hamas contro Israele del 7 ottobre. Paesi Alleati hanno recentemente preso stessa decisione. Siamo impegnati nell’assistenza umanitaria alla popolazione palestinese, tutelando la sicurezza di Israele.

— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) January 27, 2024

Penny Wong, Australia’s foreign minister, made a similar statement on pausing Canberra’s financial support, adding that she had welcomed the U.N. agency’s decision to investigation the allegations.

“I am deeply troubled by the allegations relating to some UNRWA employees,”Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s minister for international development, said in a statement on social media. “Canada unequivocally condemns the October 7th attack on Israel.”

Allegations UNRWA staff were involved in the abhorrent October 7 terror attacks are deeply concerning.

Australia welcomes UNRWA’s swift response and will engage closely on investigations.

We are speaking with partners and will temporarily pause disbursement of recent funding. pic.twitter.com/Havwserjh3

— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) January 27, 2024

However, Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said on Saturday that the decision by some countries to cease support for the UN relief agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) entails great political and relief risks.

We call on the countries that announced the cessation of their support for #UNRWA to immediately reverse their decision, which entails great political and humanitarian relief risks, as at this particular time and in light of the continuing aggression against the Palestinian… https://t.co/mxIam0zmZs

— حسين الشيخ Hussein AlSheikh (@HusseinSheikhpl) January 27, 2024

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Friday sacked “several” employees for their alleged involvement in Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack against Israel that triggered the Gaza war.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said he took the decision “to protect the Agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance” and launched an investigation after Israeli authorities provided information about the staff members’ alleged involvement.

Following the development, the Biden administration temporarily suspended assistance to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees following allegations that some of its employees took part in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

The State Department said Friday it was “extremely troubled” by the allegations and had paused additional aid to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency pending a review of the claims and any action the UN takes to address them.

UNRWA, established in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war, provides services including schooling, primary healthcare and humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

Israel’s blistering ground and air offensive has decimated vast swaths of Gaza during the nearly 4-month-old war. The conflict broke out on Oct. 7 when Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting some 250.

Israel’s offensive has laid waste to much of the densely populated Gaza Strip and killed more than 25,000 Palestinians.

UNRWA, whose biggest donors in 2022 were the United States, Germany, the European Union and Sweden, has repeatedly said its capacity to render humanitarian assistance to people in Gaza is on the verge of collapse.

With inputs from agencies.