Britain, Finland and Italy have joined the United States and Canada in “temporarily pausing” future funding for the United Nations agency for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, while it reviews “concerning allegations” that UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas massacres in Israel.
“The UK is appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned,” the UK Foreign Office said in a statement on Saturday.
The decision came after UNRWA said Friday that it had sacked “several” employees accused by Israel of involvement in Hamas’s October 7 attack, which saw some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border from Gaza, killing some 1,200 people and seizing over 250 hostages, mostly civilians.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced Rome’s decision on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday, “The Italian government has suspended financing of the UNRWA after the atrocious attack on Israel on October 7.”
Finland’s foreign minister Ville Tavio also announced the country was “temporarily” halting funding to UNRWA on Saturday, in a post on X, adding: “Finland does not give aid that benefits Hamas.”
Both Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) came out strongly against the decisions to cease support for UNRWA, with Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary general of the PLO, warning of political and relief risks, and the Palestinian terror group slamming Israeli “threats and blackmail” against the UN agency in a post on Telegram.
“We call on countries that announced the cessation of their support for UNRWA to immediately reverse their decision,” the PLO said in a post on X.
UNRWA’s chief Philippe Lazzarini said on Friday that the decision to dismiss the UNRWA employees was taken “to protect the agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance.”
“Any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution,” he said, adding that Israeli authorities had provided information about the staff members’ alleged involvement.
A senior Israeli official told the Axios news site that the Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces had provided information that pointed to the active participation of UNRWA staffers along with the use of the agency’s vehicles and facilities in the October 7 onslaught.
“This was strong and corroborated intelligence,” the official told Axios. “A lot of the intelligence is a result of interrogations of militants who were arrested during the October 7 attack.”
UN chief Antonio Guterres was “horrified” by the accusations and said that an “urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA will be conducted,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced.
The US State Department said it was “extremely troubled” by the allegations and had “temporarily paused additional funding” while it reviewed the claims and the UN’s plan to address concerns.
While the UNRWA statement did not specify how many staffers it had fired, the US statement revealed that 12 employees “may have been involved.”
The United States was the agency’s largest bilateral donor in 2022, contributing more than $340 million, according to UNRWA’s website.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Thursday with Guterres “to emphasize the necessity of a thorough and swift investigation of this matter,” the statement said. “We also welcome the UN’s announcement of a ‘comprehensive and independent’ review of UNRWA. There must be complete accountability for anyone who participated in the heinous attacks of October 7.”
The European Union’s top diplomat said he was also “extremely concerned” by the allegations and that the bloc is in touch with UNRWA, but didn’t announce a similar halt in funding.
In Israel, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant hailed the US decision to pause funding to UNRWA, calling the move “an important step in holding UNRWA accountable.”
“Major changes need to take place so that international efforts, funds and humanitarian initiatives don’t fuel Hamas terrorism and the murder of Israelis,” Gallant tweeted. “Terrorism under the guise of humanitarian work is a disgrace to the UN and the principles it claims to represent.”
Right-wing pro-Israel groups in the US as well as Republicans had long argued for defunding the agency, saying that its near uniqueness in the world — granting refugee status not just to the first generation of refugees but to their descendants — perpetuated the conflict and a culture of dependence among Palestinians.
The outbreak of war deteriorated relations between Israel and UNRWA. The agency, in sometimes strident tones, said Israel was targeting civilian targets, including its schools and its first responder stations. Israel said UNRWA was, willfully or under threat, providing cover for Hamas terrorists.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.