In light of the UK Government’s decision to resume funding to the controversial UN agency, many fundamental issues around UNRWA remain and must be addressed.
Our response:
“The UK, in line with other nations which had previously suspended funding to UNRWA, has now resumed this funding. While we of course believe it is vital that aid is delivered directly to those who need it, we believe the resumption of such funding needs to come alongside significantly increased oversight of UNRWA’s activities.
“We note the reports of UNRWA employees being among those who took part in the October 7th attacks and that Hamas appear in a number of cases to have been operating from within UNRWA facilities. This, coupled with longstanding concerns regarding antisemitism and incitement to violence within UNRWA schools, suggests to us that the Government would be wise to insist on much stricter oversight before resuming its annual funding of more than £30 million.
“Ultimately, the existence of UNRWA as distinct from the UNHCR, which looks after all other refugee populations, is an anomaly that must be fixed, and the two should ultimately be folded together.”