The United States, opposing the UN's defense of donations to the Palestinian refugee aid agency UNRWA, called on donor countries to stop funding the agency and instead support the US-led Peace Council. US Ambassador to the UN Jeff Bartos, speaking at UNRWA's annual pledging conference in early July, claimed the agency had become 'a subsidiary of Hamas'.
Bartos said, 'Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.' The US ambassador urged governments to stop funding UNRWA schools in Gaza, alleging they were instilling anti-Jewish hatred in children and glorifying terrorism. He also referred to allegations that UNRWA employees participated in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
Bartos said, 'You can choose to finance incitement, terrorism and stagnation, or you can fund the Peace Council and open the path to peace, prosperity and real, lasting change for Gazans.' The Peace Council is a US-led body established under President Donald Trump's Gaza plan, designed to oversee governance transition, reconstruction and long-term development together with a Palestinian technocratic administration.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, when asked why Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was urging countries to provide additional funds for UNRWA, defended the agency's record and mission. Dujarric said that UNRWA officials had taken 'strong steps' when provided with concrete information about potential infiltration by individuals with ties to terrorist organizations.
The US stance stood in stark contrast to that of many European governments. At the same pledging event, Britain announced £23 million in support for UNRWA. British Ambassador James Kariuki described the agency as 'indispensable' in providing essential services to Palestinian refugees.
France also reiterated its 'full support' for the agency, stating that UNRWA continued to provide indispensable aid despite growing obstacles. France announced it had provided 123 million euros to UNRWA since 2023 and would soon announce its 2026 contribution.
UNRWA's acting chief Christian Saunders, in the same session, said, 'I agree with the statement that we keep doing the same thing over and over,' and called for a just and lasting solution to the plight of Palestinian refugees. Acknowledging that the current system risked creating 'an endless cycle of dependency,' Saunders said UNRWA needed to do more to promote livelihoods and economic opportunities for Palestinians.
Meanwhile, the Geneva-based UN Watch asked Secretary-General Guterres to lift the immunity of former UNRWA Commissioner Philippe Lazzarini, whose term has ended. UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer said they had presented Lazzarini with evidence that teachers, principals and other staff supported Hamas and other terrorist groups, adding, 'The problem of support for terrorism... was systematic.'
UN Spokesperson Dujarric did not directly answer whether Guterres would lift the immunity. Saying, 'As far as I know, UN Watch is not a judicial body,' Dujarric added that the UN always cooperated in principle with national authorities' investigations.
Maria Nica / Editor
