The stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris is publicly raising cash for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency — even as the United States has cut funding to the group over its members’ alleged participation in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel.
Ella Emhoff — whose father is second gentleman Doug Emhoff — is currently posting a link to UNRWA’s English-language fundraising page on her personal Instagram.
“We urge Ms. Emhoff to go on the website of UN Watch and read our reports showing how UNRWA teachers and school principals systematically promote and encourage Jihadi terrorism and the slaughter of Jews,” said Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of the nonprofit United Nations watchdog.
“I am sure that if Ms. Emhoff understood how UNRWA promotes hatred and murder, she would stop raising money for them, and she would apologize to victims such as Ayelet Samerano, whose 21-year-old son Yonatan was kidnapped on October 7th by an UNRWA social worker.”
UNRWA, the largest employer in Gaza, has long faced international criticism for its close ties to Hamas, which has ruled the enclave since 2006.
President Trump cut US aid to the organization in 2018 — a decision President Biden initially reversed when he took office.
Under Biden’s leadership, at least $730 million found its way to UNRWA’s coffers.
The rapprochement ended, however, in January, when Israel presented evidence that UNRWA employees had been involved in Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attacks that left at least 1,200 dead at a music festival near the Gaza Strip.
As many as 450 UNRWA workers are members of extremist groups in the Gaza Strip, Israel contends.
Hamas tunnels were uncovered under the agency headquarters in Gaza where they also siphoned off the building’s electricity, Israeli officials said.
One released Israeli hostage said they were held prisoner in the home of an UNRWA teacher, according to the Jerusalem Post.
House Republicans are gearing up for a formal investigation.
“The United States is extremely troubled by the allegations that 12 UNRWA employees may have been involved in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel,” State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said at the time.
“The Department of State has temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them.”
In addition to the U.S., Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, Estonia, Japan, Austria, Sweden, Iceland and Romania also all suspended funding.
Israel War Update
Get the most important developments in the region, globally and locally.
Thanks for signing up!
Three of those nations — Canada, Sweden, and Australia — have since restored aid, but the United States has not.
“UNRWA has blood on its hands. And VP Harris knows this – or she should. I hope she’ll tell as many people as she can,” said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Ella Emhoff’s appeal comes just months after The Post revealed she was raising money for Gaza through the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.
When she’s not raising cash for terrorists, Emhoff also works as a model for IMG.
Though Doug Emhoff is Jewish, his daughter has pointedly distanced herself from the faith.
“Ella is not Jewish,” a rep for the second daughter insisted to the Forward in 2021.
The White House declined to offer an on-the-record comment.