[News] US congress bans UNRWA funding over discredited Israeli allegations

[Anti-Imperialist News]

 US congress bans UNRWA funding over discredited Israeli allegations

The approved bill also conditions aid for the Palestinian Authority if
officials 'initiate or actively support' international probes that expose
Israeli nationals to war crimes charges

News Desk <https://thecradle.co/authors/news-desk-9>

MAR 23, 2024 -
https://thecradle.co/articles/us-congress-bans-unrwa-funding-over-discredited-israeli-allegations
(Photo Credit: AFP)

US lawmakers on 23 March voted
<https://www.axios.com/2024/03/23/government-shutdown-avoided-senate-passes-funding-budget>
to ban funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees
(UNRWA) through next year, even as over two million Palestinians stand on
the verge of famine
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/22/obstacles-to-gaza-aid-deliveries-visual-guide>
as a result of the US-backed Israeli genocide campaign that has been raging
for nearly six months.

The bill was included in a massive $1.2 trillion spending package that
seeks to avert yet another government shutdown. The package also includes
the $3.8 billion Washington sends to Israel every year.

Furthermore, the approved bill contains a long-standing provision that
conditions aid to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) if “the
Palestinians initiate an International Criminal Court (ICC) judicially
authorized investigation, or actively supports such an investigation, that
subjects Israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against
Palestinians.”

The White House announced early on Saturday that President Joe Biden would
sign the bill into law as soon as it reached his desk.

Israeli Foreign Minister gleefully welcomed the news on social media,
writing: “The historic ban on US funding to UNRWA that passed today with
overwhelming bipartisan support demonstrates what we knew all along: UNRWA
is part of the problem and can not be part of the solution.”

“UNRWA will not be a part of Gaza’s landscape in the aftermath of Hamas.
Thousands of UNRWA employees are involved in Hamas terror activities, and
their facilities were used for terrorist purposes,” the top Israeli
diplomat added.

In January, Tel Aviv launched a global smear campaign against UNRWA,
alleging that staff members from the humanitarian agency had been involved
in the 7 October resistance attack on southern Israeli settlements. Tel
Aviv has provided no evidence
<https://www.reuters.com/world/no-evidence-israel-back-unrwa-accusations-says-eu-humanitarian-chief-2024-03-14/>
for the claim.

The campaign was launched on the same day the International Court of
Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel is plausibly committing genocide in Gaza.

Following a thorough internal investigation into the claims, the UN agency
revealed earlier this month that the confessions from UNRWA staff about
having “Hamas ties” were obtained via torture
<https://thecradle.co/articles/unrwa-staffers-tortured-by-israeli-troops-to-falsely-admit-hamas-links>,
including severe beatings, waterboarding, the use of attack dogs, and
threats of harm to family members.

Tel Aviv's smear campaign also included a massive online influence
<https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-deploys-army-of-bots-to-spread-anti-unrwa-propaganda-report>
operation using hundreds of fake social media accounts to amplify reports
claiming the involvement of UNRWA workers in the 7 October resistance
attack.

Researchers at Fake Reporter pinpointed three fake ‘news sites’
specifically created for the operation. The sites amplified reports copied
from other real news outlets, such as CNN*, The Wall Street Journal, The
Guardian, The Jerusalem Post*, and *The Times of Israel,* which promoted
Israel's narrative about the war.

Hundreds of fake social media accounts then intensively promoted the
"reports" from specially-created websites and other news outlets.

Hours before Washington moved to cut funding to the vital aid agency, EU
foreign policy chief Josep Borrell
<https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-foreign-policy-chief-hails-resumption-of-unrwa-funding-from-more-countries/3171997>
hailed the resumption of funding for UNRWA from more western countries,
including Finland and Canada.
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