The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is under fire again, accused of cozying up to terrorists. Israel has long warned that Hamas has infiltrated the agency, even tying it to the horrific October 7th attacks.
But, shockingly, many Western leaders continue to brush off these allegations. Earlier this year, the UK’s Labour government reinstated funding to UNRWA, claiming they’d been “reassured” that vetting processes had improved.
UN Watch, a human rights group, isn’t buying it. The group has presented damning evidence that UNRWA staff not only rub elbows with terrorists but also push dangerous ideologies in classrooms. Executive Director Hillel Neuer shared a 150-page report with Fox News, alleging “high-level UNRWA staff who are complicit with terrorists, who meet with them regularly.” He even posted undated images on social media showing supposed meetings between UNRWA officials and known members of terrorist groups. “You wouldn’t find these photos on [UNRWA officials’] own social media,” Neuer remarked.
The concerns deepen when you hear what kids in UNRWA schools are being taught. In interviews conducted by a Palestinian film crew, one boy revealed, “We’re taught to fight back and resist… Palestine will be liberated, and our lands will return to us by the good grace of Allah.” Even more chilling, he added, “The solution for Jerusalem is to kill the Jews. We get rid of the Jews.”
As these allegations mount, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has come out swinging, dismissing the claims as part of a “disinformation campaign” against the agency. But Neuer didn’t hold back, retorting, “If these claims were false, you’d have sued me.”
The controversy reignites serious questions about how UN agencies operate and where donor money ends up. For those footing the bill, accountability can’t come soon enough.
