Israel’s ongoing efforts to undermine the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) have intensified after a series of countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Britain, and Germany, decided to cut funding for the agency. UNRWA, which has provided vital support to Palestinians for seven decades, is now facing a collapse of its humanitarian operation in Gaza, where 2 million people depend on its assistance.
The funding cuts came after Israel alleged that a dozen UNRWA employees were involved in an attack on southern Israel by Hamas. However, critics argue that these allegations are a deliberate attempt to deflect attention from the International Court of Justice’s recent ruling ordering Israel to restore provisions and scale up aid to Gaza to prevent genocide.
The attacks on UNRWA staff and facilities are seen as part of Israel’s broader campaign to destroy the agency and undermine the right of return for Palestinian refugees. UNRWA was established after the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” in 1948, which resulted in the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians. The agency recognizes Palestinians who were displaced to Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan as refugees entitled to education, healthcare, and other services until they can return to their homeland.
Israel opposes the return of nearly six million Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA and has been lobbying Western states to eliminate the agency. In 2018, then-US President Donald Trump cut all US funding to UNRWA, and now President Joe Biden has joined him by pausing aid to the agency, with other allied states following suit.
Critics argue that Israel’s motives are clear: to liquidate the question of Palestinian rights and force Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to migrate elsewhere, clearing the way for more illegal settlements. The Israeli government has openly discussed plans to uproot Palestinians from Gaza and tie UNRWA’s activities to Hamas.
The funding cuts to UNRWA will have dire consequences for Palestinians in Gaza, where a quarter of the population is already facing catastrophic levels of hunger, according to a recent UN-backed report. With Palestinians unable to flee due to restrictions on their movement, hunger and disease are likely to worsen.
Critics of the funding cuts argue that the international community is indirectly aiding Israel’s mass killing of Palestinians by suspending funds to UNRWA at such a critical time. They warn that without immediate support, the people of Gaza will face a humanitarian catastrophe.
The elimination of UNRWA would not only undermine the collective right of return for Palestinian refugees but also hinder efforts to find a just solution for their plight. As the agency teeters on the brink of collapse, the international community faces a crucial decision about the fate of millions of Palestinians in desperate need of assistance and justice.
