UK, Italy, Canada, Australia, and Finland Halt U.N. Agency Funds over Alleged Involvement in October 7th Terror Attacks on Israel
On Friday, UNWRA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini that his agency has fired several staff members after receiving Israeli intelligence claiming that at least 12 UNWRA staff members participated in the Hamas terror attacks on Israel that saw the Palestinian Islamists butcher around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and kidnap over 250 more, some of whom remain in captivity to this day.
Following the revelations from Lazzarini, the Biden administration announced that it would suspend its funding towards the organisation.
In 2018, former President Donald Trump cut off funding entirely to the agency — which operates in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria — over evidence suggesting that schools run by UNRWA were indoctrinating Palestinian schoolchildren with anti-Jewish propaganda and staff members supporting terrorism. Yet, Biden’s White House reversed this decision and sent upwards of $700 million to the agency before suspending money on Friday.
On Saturday, several other Western nations announced that they would also halt funding to the U.N. agency. The British Foreign Office said in a statement per the BBC: “The UK is appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned.
“The UK is temporarily pausing any future funding of UNWRA whilst we review these concerning allegations.”
London’s announcement comes after similar decisions from Australia, Canada, Finland, and Italy.