Headline Roundup • January 28th, 2024
UK, Canada, and Other Western Nations Join US in Pausing Funding to UNRWA
Middle East,Biden Administration,Palestine,Gaza,Israel Hamas Violence,Canada,United Nations,United Kingdom,World,European Union
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Several Western countries paused funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East since the U.S. did so on Friday.
The Details: Joining the US are Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. The pauses come amid accusations that 12 of the organization’s 13,000 staffers were involved in Hamas’ October 7 terror attack. UNRWA has fired the accused employees and is set to conduct an investigation.
For Context: Former President Donald Trump canceled US funding to the UNRWA in 2018, but the Biden administration restored it in 2021. The United States was the agency’s biggest donor in 2022, contributing nearly $344 million.
Key Quotes: On Saturday, UN secretary general, António Guterres said in a statement: “I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations.” He added, “The abhorrent alleged acts of these staff members must have consequences… But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized.”
How The Media Covered It: The Guardian (Lean Left bias) opened its article highlighting a warning from Palestinians that the pause “will significantly worsen the humanitarian crisis” in Gaza. It also added context regarding how dire the humanitarian situation is in Gaza and included a perspective from Hamas. The Times of Israel (Center bias) claimed the UNRWA “has played a pivotal aid role during the ongoing war.”
Featured Coverage of this Story
Mohammed Saber/EPA
The decision by the US, UK and other western nations to freeze funding for the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees will significantly worsen the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, Palestinians have warned.
Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Finland joined the United States, Australia and Canada in pausing funding after UNRWA, the UN’s Relief and Works Agency for Palestine, revealed an investigation had been launched into 12 members of staff who allegedly took part in the 7 October attack led by Hamas that killed 1,140 people.
Israel’s retaliatory war has killed 26,000...
AP Photo/Yousef Masoud
Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and Finland became the latest countries on Saturday to pause funding for the UN refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA), after the body said Friday that it had sacked “several” employees accused by Israel of involvement in Hamas’s October 7 massacre.
The United States, Australia and Canada had already paused funding to the aid agency, a critical source of support for people in Gaza, after the allegations by Israel. The agency said on Friday it had opened an investigation into several employees and severed ties with those people.
Encouraging...
AP
A United Nations agency's alleged involvement in the October 7 terror attacks in Israel has led to widespread decisions to cut funding.
The United Kingdom, Canada and other key Western powers have joined the United States in cutting funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East after 12 employees were accused of being "involved" in the attack.
Germany, Italy, Australia, Finland, Netherlands and Switzerland have also joined the boycott following the accusations, which have already resulted in the termination of multiple staffers.
The United States...
