Ottawa resuming UNRWA funding despite terrorism allegations

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Canada will once again be providing funds for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), after it was implicated by Israel in the recent mass terrorist attacks against Israel.

On Friday, Global Affairs Canada announced that funding for the controversial UN agency, which was suspended in late January following revelations that UNRWA employees took part in the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks in Israel, would soon resume in order to provide aid to people in Gaza during the war between Hamas and Israel. Hamas controls the Gaza Strip and most of the humanitarian aid that enters the region.

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“The decision is in recognition of the serious and significant processes that the United Nations has undertaken to address the issues in UNRWA, and the recognition of the critical role that UNRWA plays in providing much-needed support to over two million Palestinians in Gaza, as well as the millions more in the broader region,” said International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen during a Friday afternoon press conference in Mississauga.

The House of Commons is currently on break until March 18.

Hussen added there must be a “zero tolerance” policy for terror within the UN and UNRWA.

“Canada has reviewed the interim report of the investigation conducted by the United Nations, and we’re closely following this invetigation as well as the conclusion of the broader independent review being conducted by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna,” Hussen said.

Hussen ducked questions about what specifically in the report prompted the government to change its mind about UNRWA, saying Canada acted out of the need to save lives in Gaza.

Hussen also avoided saying if he believed that UNRWA employees took part in Oct. 7, telling the reporter to ask the UN instead.

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Richard Robertson, research manager at B’nai Brith Canada, said today’s announcement should  concern all Canadians. 

“The decision to continue supporting  such a problematic and irresponsible entity, before the independent investigation into its culpability in facilitating acts of terror is even complete,  actively undermines the international efforts to ensure a sustainable and peaceful future for both Israelis and Palestinians,” he said.

“The federal government has no right to use the hard-earned money of Canadian taxpayers to fund an entity that it cannot guarantee will not misuse or misappropriate the aid it receives.  It is essential that our foreign aid contributions are used to advance human dignity, and not to sustain terrorists and foster bigotry.”

The Trudeau Liberal caucus has been divided over UNRWA with pressure from some MPs to restore money to the agency while others have demanded it stop.

Leaks to the press earlier this week suggested the government was about to announce resumption of funding. Hussen had scheduled a press conference on Wednesday that was expected to be the announcement of resumed funding, but the event was suddenly aborted.

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On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was non-committal when asked by reporters about resuming UNRWA funding, saying that Canada will do “the right thing” and that it places “the protection of civilian life at the forefront of everything we do.”

Canada was one of several nations that followed the United States in halting UNRWA funding in January after evidence presented by the Israeli government alleged agency employees took part in the Hamas-led attack, which saw the murder of over 1,000 Israelis, mostly civilians.

However, the pause was announced after Ottawa had already sent $48 million to UNRWA, as National Post discovered shortly afterward. The Liberal government subsequently announced another $40 million in funding for Gaza to be sent to other UN agencies.

In a statement, the U.S. State Department wouldn’t comment whether plans to resume American funding to UNRWA were in place, but said the Biden administration ” would need to see fundamental changes” before funding could resume.

“The United States made an independent decision to temporarily pause additional funding to UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them,” the statement read.

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“Other countries made their decisions independently to do the same.”

Other evidence uncovered since the Oct. 7 attacks includes video footage of UNWRA social worker Faisal Ali Mussalem al-Naami and another Hamas terrorist retrieving dead Israelis in Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the hardest-hit communities on Oct. 7.

On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces released a video of an UNRWA teacher boasting of his involvement in the Oct. 7 attacks.

UNRWA employs about 13,000 people in Gaza.

Last June, Canada announced a $100-million, four-year pledge to the UN relief agency to deliver “core programs that support basic education, health, social services and livelihood opportunities and protect the rights of Palestinian refugees.”

Canada’s next $25-million payment on that pledge is due next month.

Independent MP Kevin Vuong, one of the more vocal voices of support for Canada’s Jewish community, said that Canada’s resumption of funding means ignoring UNRWA’s role in the Oct. 7 attacks.

“On International Women’s Day, while 19 Israeli women and girls are still being held hostage, the Trudeau government chose this day of all days to reinstate funding to an organization currently under UN investigation for staff participation in the Oct. 7th massacre, rape, and kidnappings,” Vuong said.

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“Minister Hussen stated in response to my February 1 question regarding UNRWA funding that the Trudeau government would wait for the results of the UN investigation, but the investigation is ongoing. How can Canadians trust this government when they say one thing and do the opposite?”

On Twitter, Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman also criticized the decision.

“With evidence of UNRWA workers taking part in the killing, raping and hostage taking on Oct. 7 — Canada restores funding it never really cut off by giving this agency more,” she posted.

“I’m sure the investigation was thorough (it was not).”

In a statement, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said that no taxpayer money should be used to fund organizations with such overt ties to terror, violence and antisemitism as UNRWA.

“The federal government, including the Prime Minister and Minister Hussen, promised that Canada would ‘pause all additional funding to UNRWA pending the outcome of the investigation,’” the statement read.

“The investigation has yet to be completed, and UNRWA has still not been held accountable for their employees that took part in the massacre on October 7. Urgent aid is needed for Palestinians, but UNRWA is not the answer — as the Unites States has effectively demonstrated.”

CIJA says it plans to challenge the government’s decision in court.

National Post

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