Israel claimed that at least a dozen UNRWA workers joined the October 7 attacks and that more than 1400 of the agency’s employees were active members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, but these claims have been the subject of fierce disputes.
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“Of the 12 people implicated, UNRWA immediately identified and terminated the contracts of 10, another two are confirmed dead,” the UN said on February 8, while promising an investigation by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services.
Wong has been waiting on the outcome of the investigation but said on Friday it was right to release the Australian money because of the undertakings from UNRWA and the fact that other countries chose to end their funding suspensions.
Sweden and Canada ended their funding pauses last week, while the European Union said two weeks ago that it would proceed with the first tranche of €50 million ($83 million) for the agency this year out of €82 million ($135 million) promised for 2024.
Wong said the commitments from the UN agency would give Australia greater confidence about the neutrality of its staff and supply of its aid to people in need.
“The plan includes strengthened internal controls to ensure its neutrality, including rigorous requirements of staff and updated reports to donors,” she said.
The foreign minister emphasised that UNRWA was the only agency capable of delivering enough aid in Gaza to help the Palestinian people during the conflict.
“I know that there are people starving in Gaza. I know that the European Union and Canada have determined to unpause [their funding],” she said.
“I know that UNRWA is critical to providing this assistance to people who are on the brink of starving.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion strongly criticised the decision.
“The government needs to find another way to feed the Gazans,” he said.
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“Our community favours the provision of aid to civilians in Gaza who are in desperate need, but we are totally opposed to the use of UNRWA as an agency for delivering that aid.
“To say that UNRWA as a whole is not a terrorist organisation sets a very low bar indeed for the kind of agencies with which Australia will partner.”
The Australian Jewish Association said it was outraged at the decision and there was mounting evidence about the use of UNRWA facilities by Hamas and the participation of UNRWA employees in the October 7 atrocities.
Comment has been sought from the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network.
More to come
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Source Agencies
