Germany Freezes Funding to UNRWA Amidst Anti-Semitism and Terrorism Allegations

Edited by: Fern Sidman

Germany has announced the suspension of its funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a body dedicated to Palestinian refugees. According to a report that appeared on Tuesday in the National Review, the decision comes in response to allegations that UNRWA has distributed anti-Semitic material, incited violence, and had alumni involved in the October 7th Hamas attacks in Israel. With Berlin being the single largest donor, contributing nearly a billion dollars over the last five years, the move signals growing concerns about the agency’s role and its failure to prevent aid from reaching Hamas, the report on the National Review web site said.

UNRWA has faced renewed scrutiny, particularly since the Israel-Hamas war began, raising questions about its effectiveness in promoting peace. Reports have suggested that the agency failed to prevent foreign aid from falling into the hands of the terror group Hamas, prompting Germany to reconsider its financial support.

Max Lucks of the Green Party emphasized that UNRWA is not contributing to a peaceful solution and insisted that not a single cent from Germany should reach teachers who glorify the terror activities of Hamas, as was reported by the National Review. Falko Drossman of the left-leaning Social Democratic Party echoed these sentiments, calling for a new initiative in providing aid to Palestinians, emphasizing the need for change in the status quo with UNRWA, the report added.

The European Union followed suit by withholding 39 million euros from numerous Palestinian non-profits, including UNRWA. As was noted in the report on the National Review web site, the EU demanded that these groups provide procedures and tools to enforce contractual obligations, including anti-incitement clauses. Switzerland’s federal council also froze 600,000 euros, according to the National Review web site, and urged Palestinian non-profits to conduct an in-depth analysis of their communications’ compliance with anti-discrimination clauses.

Since the October attacks initiated by Hamas, reports have surfaced indicating that at least 100 terrorists involved in the attacks were graduates of UNRWA-run institutions, according to the National Review report.  Additionally, over a dozen educators within the UNRWA system were found to have celebrated the attacks on social media. The alarming revelations prompted the Switzerland based watchdog organization UN Watch to release a report titled “UNRWA: Hate Starts Here,” exposing anti-Semitic sentiments within the organization, the National Review reported.

The report documents instances of senior UNRWA members openly praising the October 7 attacks, including Rawia Helles, the director of a training center in Khan Younis, located in the southern Gaza Strip. The National Review report said that Helles went so far as to commend a Palestinian operative involved in the attacks as a “hero” and “prince.” Shockingly, Helles was also featured in a UNRWA appeal on YouTube in October, drawing attention to the organization’s work.

Mohammad Adwan, an English teacher within a UNRWA-funded institution in Rafah, justified the Hamas attack by framing it as resistance against a people (Jews) that Europe supposedly wanted to get rid of, as was reported by the National Review. Adwan’s statement reflects a troubling perspective within the organization, where violence is justified based on a skewed historical narrative.

Adwan’s remarks further claim ownership of the land for thousands of years and accuse Jews of being sent to occupy homes and displace ancestors through massacres, the National Review report said. He frames the actions of Hamas as resistance, portraying them as regaining rights and defending the land, while labeling the activities of Jews as occupation and colonialism.

This is not the first time UNRWA has faced criticism. Former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, led an effort to cut U.S. funding to UNRWA after reports emerged that schools run by the organization were distributing anti-Semitic books to school children, as was noted in the National Review report. While funding was cut during Haley’s tenure, it was later renewed under President Biden.

The revelations about UNRWA staff members openly supporting and justifying acts of terrorism underscores the urgent need for a thorough reevaluation of the organization’s leadership, values, and mission. The international community, including major donors like Germany and the European Union, should scrutinize UNRWA’s operations and ensure that funds are not supporting individuals who condone violence and propagate harmful narratives.