{"id":2171902,"date":"2024-02-08T23:17:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T04:17:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-reverts-to-trump-era-approach-on-un-palestinian-agency-funding-for-now\/"},"modified":"2024-02-08T23:20:03","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T04:20:03","slug":"biden-administration-reverts-to-trump-era-approach-on-un-palestinian-agency-funding-for-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-reverts-to-trump-era-approach-on-un-palestinian-agency-funding-for-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden admin temporarily adopts Trump&#8217;s UN Palestinian agency funding approach"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/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-administration-reverts-to-trump-era-approach-on-un-palestinian-agency-funding-for-now%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=2171902&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>President Biden&#8217;s Administration Suspends Funding to UN Program Aiding Palestinians<\/h2>\n<p>The Biden administration\u200c is taking steps to align its policy with that of the previous administration regarding funding for a \u2062United Nations program \u200daimed at assisting Palestinians in conflict-ridden\u2063 areas. In other words, they are choosing \u200dnot \u2063to provide funding.<\/p>\n<p>On January 26, \u200dthe Biden administration \u200dsuspended funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is responsible for providing \u200chumanitarian services in Gaza and other locations. This decision was made in response to \u2063recent allegations that 12 UNRWA employees \u2063were involved in terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, resulting in the loss of 1,200 lives. In the subsequent \u2062counteroffensive by Israel, an estimated 25,000 Palestinians in Gaza\u200d have been killed, although a significant portion of that number is believed to be Hamas terrorists.<\/p>\n<h3>Secretary of State Blinken Supports\u2063 Israel&#8217;s Claims<\/h3>\n<p>Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States has not conducted an investigation into Israel&#8217;s allegations against UNRWA. However, he described the claims as &#8220;highly, highly credible.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While it remains to be seen how much of an impact the Biden administration&#8217;s decision will have\u2063 on those involved, it is worth noting that \u200bthe US has already provided $120 million to \u2063UNRWA in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/most-of-bidens-1-9-trillion-coronavirus-relief-bill-has-nothing-to-do-with-public-health\/\" title=\"Most Of Biden\u2019s .9 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill Has Nothing To Do With Public Health\">current fiscal year<\/a>,\u200c with only $300,000 being withheld.<\/p>\n<p>This move is significant because UNRWA recently terminated several employees based on new information\u200d provided by Israel. The information detailed\u200d the connections between these employees and the October 7\u200b attacks.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Any UNRWA employee who was involved\u200b in acts of terror will \u200dbe held accountable, \u200bincluding\u2064 through criminal prosecution,&#8221; said Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA commissioner-general.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>However, some congressional lawmakers, analysts, \u2062and \u200bMiddle East observers are skeptical of this expressed shock and outrage. They have argued\u2064 for years that UNRWA&#8217;s\u2062 operations in Hamas-controlled Gaza inherently support the \u2064terrorist group. This support is partly\u200d driven by ideological affinity\u2063 for the anti-Israel \u200dcause, but also for utilitarian reasons to maintain favor with the powerful Hamas group.<\/p>\n<p>Hamas has been designated as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawmakers-consider-enacting-statute-to-increase-punishments-for-domestic-terrorism\/\" title=\"Lawmakers consider enacting statute to increase punishments for domestic terrorism\">foreign terrorist organization<\/a> by the State Department since 1997. The group has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, following a coup against the Palestinian Authority. This occurred two \u200dyears after Israel withdrew from the 140.9-square-mile \u2062territory, which it had gained control of from Egypt after defeating combined Arab\u2064 nation armies in the 1967 Six-Day War.<\/p>\n<p>What initially started as a small agency providing emergency\u200d relief to refugees\u200c of Israel&#8217;s 1948 War of Independence has now expanded to operate in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.<\/p>\n<p>Most of UNRWA&#8217;s approximately $1.3 billion budget\u2063 is funded by Western nations, with the US often being a significant contributor. However, Western \u200bdonors are now questioning whether the agency has become irreversibly radicalized. Eighteen countries, including \u2063Germany, \u2063Australia, Canada, Finland, Italy, \u200dthe\u200b Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, have suspended funding.<\/p>\n<h3>Similarities to\u2064 the Trump \u2063Administration&#8217;s Approach<\/h3>\n<p>The Trump\u2062 administration completely ended\u2063 US funding\u2062 to\u2062 UNRWA in August 2018, citing the agency as &#8220;irredeemably flawed.&#8221; However, the Biden \u2064administration reversed \u200cthis decision upon taking office. On April\u2064 7, 2021, Secretary Blinken announced that the US would restore\u200c aid\u200d to the \u200bPalestinians, including funding for UNRWA at the UN.<\/p>\n<p>Now, nearly three years later, the Biden administration has shifted its \u200bstance on UNRWA funding, at least temporarily. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul believes\u2062 that the reinstatement of funding should never have happened in the first place. He expressed his &#8220;appalled but unfortunately not surprised&#8221; reaction to the\u200c revelations \u200cof UNRWA&#8217;s alleged staff involvement in\u200b the October 7 \u2062attacks. McCaul argues that UNRWA is not impartial and has a widespread and systemic anti-Israel bias.<\/p>\n<p>Senate Foreign Relations \u200bCommittee Chairman Ben Cardin also \u2064expressed outrage at the allegations of UNRWA&#8217;s complicity \u2063with Hamas terrorist groups. Cardin called \u200dfor the\u2064 immediate establishment of an independent mechanism to investigate \u2063the involvement of UNRWA employees in the \u2063October 7 attacks.<\/p>\n<p>However, some lawmakers view\u2063 the\u2063 suspension of\u2063 aid to UNRWA as short-sighted. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez believes that cutting off support to UNRWA, which is the primary source of humanitarian aid for over \u20642 million Gazans, is unacceptable. She argues that \u200drisking the\u200b starvation of millions based on allegations involving only 12 individuals is indefensible.<\/p>\n<p>UNRWA exclusively serves Palestinian refugees,\u2063 with an estimated 5.8 million refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and the Palestinian territories. However, many dispute this number, considering it an intentional exaggeration aimed at undermining Israel at the UN. UNRWA is the only organization within the UN system that focuses\u200c on a specific group of refugees, while all other refugee groups are handled \u200dby the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does the Biden administration&#8217;s decision to follow a similar path \u200cand suspend funding to UNRWA affect\u200c the\u200c long-term future of \u200cthe agency and its ability\u200b to fulfill its humanitarian mission, and what \u2063are \u200cthe contrasting views on its impact on the \u200csuffering of Palestinian refugees<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u2064Mitted\u200c to cutting funding to UNRWA in 2018, citing concerns over the agency&#8217;s perpetuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The decision \u200bwas met with criticism from some who \u2062argued that it would worsen the already \u200ddire humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank. However, supporters of \u200cthe move maintained\u2064 that it was\u2062 necessary to \u200chold UNRWA accountable for its alleged ties to terrorism\u200b and anti-Israel sentiments.<\/p>\n<p>Now, with the Biden administration following a similar path, it raises questions about the long-term future of UNRWA and its ability to fulfill its \u2064humanitarian mission. Some\u200b argue that \u2062the suspension of funding will only exacerbate the suffering of Palestinian refugees, as the agency plays a crucial role in\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/san-diego-using-huge-convention-center-to-house-unaccompanied-migrant-children\/\" title=\"San Diego Using Huge Convention Center To House Unaccompanied Migrant Children\">providing vital services<\/a> such\u2063 as education,\u2062 healthcare, and social assistance.<\/p>\n<p>However, others contend that \u200bUNRWA has become too entangled\u200d with\u2064 Hamas and\u2063 has\u2064 failed to \u2062effectively\u200c address the needs of Palestinian refugees.\u2062 They \u2063argue that by cutting funding and scrutinizing the agency&#8217;s operations, \u200cthe Biden administration is taking a necessary step towards \u2063pushing for transparency\u200c and accountability.<\/p>\n<p>The decision to suspend funding to UNRWA \u200dalso has \u2063broader geopolitical implications. It signals\u2063 a shift in the \u200cBiden administration&#8217;s approach to \u200bthe Israeli-Palestinian conflict, aligning itself\u2064 more closely with Israel&#8217;s perspective and concerns. This \u200bmove\u2064 may further strain relations with the Palestinian\u200c Authority and complicate\u2063 efforts to \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-names-special-envoy-to-north-korea-after-meeting-with-moon\/\" title=\"Biden Names Special Envoy to North Korea After Meeting With Moon\">revive peace negotiations<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It is important \u2064to note\u2064 that the decision to suspend funding to UNRWA is not without its critics. Many argue that it\u2063 undermines the agency&#8217;s mission of providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations and may further destabilize an already volatile region. They argue that a more holistic approach, focusing on promoting dialogue and addressing the root causes\u2064 of the conflict, is needed to achieve long-lasting peace.<\/p>\n<p>As the situation continues to\u200b unfold, it remains to \u2064be seen how the suspension of funding to UNRWA will impact\u200c the Palestinian population and the prospects\u2064 for peace \u200din \u200dthe region. The move by \u2062the Biden administration indicates\u2063 a willingness to depart from previous policies and chart a\u200d new course\u2062 in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Whether this shift will lead to positive or negative \u200coutcomes remains uncertain, \u2063but it is clear \u2062that the decision has far-reaching implications for the future of UNRWA and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/blinken-meets-with-israeli-leaders-and-abbas-with-attention-toward-next-steps\/\" title=\"Blinken engages Israeli leaders and Abbas, focusing on future actions\">broader \u200cpeace process<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration is following the footsteps of his predecessor by suspending funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. This program aims to assist Palestinians in conflict-ridden regions, but the current administration has decided not to provide financial support<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2695,"featured_media":2171903,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/united-nations-relief-and-works-agency-for-palestinian-refugees-1024x591.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2171902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/united-nations-relief-and-works-agency-for-palestinian-refugees-1024x591.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2171902","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\/2695"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2171902"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2171902\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2171903"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2171902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2171902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2171902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}