Politics
UK to restore funding to controversial UN Palestinian Agency Unrwa
Israel has accused several staff members of participating in the October 7 attacks on Israeli civilians
July 19, 2024 10:31
Israel has accused several staff members of participating in the October 7 attacks on Israeli civilians
July 19, 2024 10:31Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed that the UK would restore £21 million of government funding to the controversial Palestinian UN Agency, Unrwa.
In a statement to the House of Commons, where he spoke about the need to get aid into Gaza, Lammy said, “Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe and it is aid agencies who ensure UK support reaches civilians on the ground.
During the debate, in which no independent MPs elected on a pro-Gaza platform were in attendance, Lammy said: “Unrwa is absolutely central to these efforts. No other agency can get aid into Gaza at the scale needed.”
The government says the funding will mainly go towards Unrwa’s flash appeal for Gaza and the West Bank, which focuses its resources on emergency food, shelter and other support for 3 million people.
The UK was one of several countries that stopped funding Unrwa in January 2024 after Israel accused its employees of participating in the October 7 attacks and subsequent violence.
The Foreign Secretary acknowledged these concerns but said that Unrwa had taken measures to change. He told MPs, “I was appalled by the allegations that Unrwa staff were involved in the October 7 attacks. We are reassured that after Catherine Colonna’s independent review, Unrwa is ensuring they meet the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures, including on vetting.”
“Unrwa has acted. Partners like Japan, the EU and Norway have now acted. This Government will act too.”
However, last week, the IDF said it found evidence of Unrwa facilities being used by terrorists in Gaza and, last month, the JC reported that victims of the October 7 massacre had filed a lawsuit against Unrwa for “aiding and abetting” Hamas.
A statement from the Board of Deputies said that, “While we of course believe it is vital that aid is delivered directly to those who need it, we believe the resumption of such funding needs to come alongside significantly increased oversight of Unrwa's activities.”
In Parliament, Lammy recalled his visit to the Middle East earlier this week, where he met with leaders including Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa. He also visited the families of hostages held by Hamas. The Foreign Secretary repeated calls for a ceasefire, “The fighting must stop. The hostages must be released. Much, much more aid has got to enter Gaza…. This horror must end, now.”
The Foreign Secretary also condemned the Houthi attack on Tel Aviv in the hearly hours of this morning. He told MPs, “There are those in this House who, like me, represent constituents convinced the world does not understand Israel’s predicament.
“To them, I say: Israel is in a tough neighbourhood, threatened by those who want it annihilated.
“There is no equivalence between Israel’s democratic government and Hamas – a terrorist organisation responsible for an act of barbarism on October the 7th that sought to kill countless Israelis and provoke wider conflict with Palestinians.
“I fully supported the UK’s role in defending Israel when Iran launched its unprecedented attack, and I utterly condemn the Houthi attack on Tel Aviv overnight.”