{"id":2160021,"date":"2024-01-26T11:05:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-26T16:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-reverses-funding-of-unrwa-after-12-employees-accused-of-participation-in-oct-7\/"},"modified":"2024-01-26T11:07:50","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T16:07:50","slug":"biden-admin-reverses-funding-of-unrwa-after-12-employees-accused-of-participation-in-oct-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-reverses-funding-of-unrwa-after-12-employees-accused-of-participation-in-oct-7\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden Admin halts UNRWA funding due to 12 employees&#8217; alleged involvement on Oct. 7"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbiden-admin-reverses-funding-of-unrwa-after-12-employees-accused-of-participation-in-oct-7%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2160021&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>The Biden Administration Pauses Funding to UNRWA Amid Allegations\u2064 of Employee\u2064 Involvement in Attacks<\/h2>\n<p>The Biden administration has temporarily halted funding to the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) following allegations that some of\u200b its\u2064 employees were involved in \u2062the Oct. 7 massacre\u200b carried\u2064 out by Hamas.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;The Department of State has temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA\u2063 while we \u2062review these allegations and \u2062the steps the United Nations is taking to address them,&#8221; said State Department\u200c spokesman Matthew Miller.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>UNRWA announced on Friday that it has initiated an investigation into several employees suspected of being involved in the attacks and has severed \u2064ties with them.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;The\u2062 Israeli authorities have provided UNRWA with information about the alleged involvement of\u2064 several UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on Israel on\u2062 October\u200b 7,&#8221; stated Philippe \u2062Lazzarini, UNRWA\u2063 commissioner-general. &#8220;To protect the agency&#8217;s ability to \u200bdeliver humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately\u200b terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has been briefed about the allegations and has requested a thorough\u2063 investigation \u2063to ensure that any UNRWA employee found to \u2063have participated in or supported the Oct. 7 attacks\u2063 be immediately terminated and potentially face criminal prosecution.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;An urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA will be conducted,&#8221; added Guterres&#8217; spokesperson.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Biden administration \u200chad restored funding to UNRWA in 2021 after it was cut off during the Trump administration, which criticized the agency as &#8220;irredeemably flawed.&#8221; Since then, the Biden administration has provided over $730 million to UNRWA.<\/p>\n<p>Established in 1949,\u200d UNRWA offers various \u200bservices, including education, healthcare, and humanitarian aid, to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan,\u200c Syria, and\u200d Lebanon. However, the \u2063agency has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-responds-to-u-s-bill-taking-aim-at-regime-for-alleged-forced-labor-in-xinjiang-province\/\" title=\"China responds to U.S. bill taking aim at regime for alleged forced labor in Xinjiang province\">long faced accusations<\/a> of promoting radicalism and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/united-nations-officials-complicit-in-hamass-atrocities-lawmaker-says\/\" title=\"Lawmaker accuses UN officials of aiding Hamas's atrocities\">aiding terrorist groups<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, UNRWA\u2062 facilities have been found to store terrorist weaponry, and its textbooks and educational materials have \u200bbeen known\u200c to promote anti-Semitism\u2062 and calls for Israel&#8217;s destruction.<\/p>\n<p>With the biggest donors to \u2062UNRWA\u200c in 2022 being the United States, Germany, and the European Union, the \u2062pause in funding has significant implications for the agency&#8217;s ability to provide humanitarian assistance.<\/p>\n<p>The diplomatic missions of the United States, Germany, and the European\u2062 Union in Geneva have not yet\u2063 commented on the\u2064 situation.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What actions should UNRWA take to ensure the safety, well-being, and trust of those it serves, \u2062as well as\u2064 its donors and\u2062 partners, \u200bin light\u2064 of\u2062 the allegations of \u2064employee involvement in attacks<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Tion regarding the alleged involvement\u200c of \u200bsome employees in \u2064the \u200bOctober \u200c7 attack. In response, UNRWA immediately\u2064 launched an internal investigation and took the necessary measures, including the termination of employment\u2062 contracts with the individuals implicated,&#8221; UNRWA spokesperson Adnan Abu Hasna said in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This move by the \u200bBiden administration\u2063 comes as a shock to many, as the United States has\u2062 been\u200d a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/frances-zemmour-boasts-of-trump-call-in-run-up-to-presidential-election\/\" title=\"France's Zemmour Boasts of Trump Call in Run-up to Presidential Election\">long-standing supporter<\/a> of\u200c UNRWA, providing significant financial contributions \u200dto \u2062the agency. In fact, the US was the\u2064 largest single \u200ddonor to UNRWA, with a contribution of \u200b$360 million in\u2064 2020 alone.<\/p>\n<p>UNRWA was \u2064established in 1949 with the goal of providing\u2063 assistance \u200band protection to Palestinian refugees \u2063displaced\u2063 as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The agency operates schools, healthcare facilities,\u2062 and social services for over 5 million \u200dregistered Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>However, this is not the first time UNRWA has faced allegations \u2062of employee involvement in attacks. In 2019, a UN Watch report revealed that UNRWA employees posted incendiary and anti-Semitic content on social media, \u200coften glorifying violence\u200b against \u200dIsraelis.\u200c The report also found that UNRWA schools were used to store and launch \u200drockets by Palestinian militant groups during conflicts\u200b with Israel.<\/p>\n<p>These allegations raise serious concerns about the integrity and neutrality of UNRWA and its employees. It\u200d is essential that any organization entrusted with\u2064 providing assistance to vulnerable populations maintains the highest \u200cstandards of\u200d conduct and ensures that its \u200bemployees do not engage in\u2064 terrorist activities or support\u200b violent\u200c ideologies.<\/p>\n<p>The Biden administration&#8217;s \u200ddecision to pause funding to UNRWA demonstrates a commitment to reviewing these serious allegations and holding the\u2063 agency accountable for any\u2064 wrongdoing. \u2062The United States has a responsibility to ensure that its taxpayer dollars are used to \u200bsupport organizations that promote peace, security, and the well-being \u2064of \u200call people \u200din the\u2064 region.<\/p>\n<p>In addition \u2062to the suspension of funding, the Biden administration has \u200bcalled for a comprehensive\u200d and transparent investigation\u2062 into the allegations against UNRWA \u200demployees and has urged \u200cthe United Nations \u2064to take appropriate action to\u2064 address this \u200cissue.<\/p>\n<p>It is crucial that UNRWA takes swift and decisive \u200daction to address these allegations, strengthen its internal monitoring mechanisms, and enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards\u200d any involvement in\u2064 violence \u200cor support\u2063 for terrorist activities. The integrity and \u200dcredibility of \u2063the agency&#8217;s \u2064work \u2064depend on its ability to ensure the safety and well-being of those it serves, as well \u200bas maintain the\u200b trust of its donors and\u200d partners.<\/p>\n<p>The temporary halt in\u2063 funding should serve as a wake-up \u2064call for UNRWA \u2064to reevaluate its practices and implement robust measures to prevent any further incidents\u200d of employee involvement in \u200dattacks or extremist activities. This\u2063 episode highlights the need for a thorough review of the agency&#8217;s operations and policies, ensuring that\u200b they align with international \u2062standards and uphold the principles of neutrality and non-violence.<\/p>\n<p>While it is important to continue providing assistance and support\u2063 to Palestinian refugees, it is equally crucial to ensure that\u200d this\u2064 aid does not inadvertently contribute to or enable violence. The\u200d United States, along \u2064with other donor countries, must\u200c closely \u200dmonitor the actions of organizations like UNRWA and ensure that\u2062 their funds\u2063 are used solely for the benefit of those in \u2064need.<\/p>\n<p>By \u200ctaking a firm stance against\u2063 allegations of employee involvement in\u2062 attacks, the \u2062Biden administration is sending\u200c a\u2062 clear \u200cmessage that it will prioritize the safety and well-being of all individuals in the region. This pause in funding serves as a reminder of the \u2063importance of accountability, transparency, and adherence to international norms\u200d and values.<\/p>\n<p>As the investigation into\u2064 the alleged involvement of \u2064UNRWA employees \u2062in the Oct. 7 attack progresses, \u200cit is paramount\u2063 that all <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nyc-mayor-adams-under-federal-investigation-after-top-fundraisers-house-raided-by-fbi\/\" title=\"NYC Mayor Adams Faces Federal Probe Following FBI Raid on Fundraiser's Home.\">parties involved cooperate fully<\/a> \u200cand transparently to ensure a fair and thorough examination of the \u200bfacts. The truth must be uncovered, and appropriate measures \u2063should be taken to prevent such \u200cincidents \u2062from occurring in\u200c the future.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the \u200bgoal \u2064should be \u2063to establish a more\u200d secure, peaceful, and prosperous future for all individuals in the region, including Palestinian refugees. This can only be achieved through the promotion of dialogue, understanding, and respect, as well as a commitment to justice and accountability for all parties involved in the conflict.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Taking to address them,&#8221; a State Department spokesperson said. The move comes as the Biden administration aims to ensure accountability and transparency in foreign aid. UNRWA has faced criticism in the past for alleged ties to Hamas, and this pause in funding reflects the administration&#8217;s commitment to investigating these claims before resuming support<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":2160022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2160021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2160021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2160021"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2160021\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2160022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2160021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2160021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2160021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}