Palestinian relief organization loses support

Following other states, Austria is now also suspending its support payments for the United Nations’ Palestinian relief agency, UNRWA (“United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East”). It is accused that twelve of its employees were involved in the attack on Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas on October 7th.

Germany, Japan, France, Great Britain, the USA, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Finland, Canada and Australia had also previously decided to suspend their payments until further notice. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had consequences and ordered a review. “We demand that UNRWA and the United Nations conduct a comprehensive, rapid and complete investigation into the allegations. The United Nations must also be above criticism in the interests of its own credibility. Those who may have been involved in the terrorist attack on October 7th must be held accountable.” said the Austrian Foreign Ministry on Monday.

What are the allegations against UNRWA?

Twelve of around 13,000 employees working in the Gaza Strip are suspected. The information comes from Israeli intelligence. The New York Times quoted details from the dossier yesterday. A UNRWA employee was involved in the kidnapping of a woman from Israel, another was distributing ammunition, and a third was involved in a massacre on a kibbutz in which 97 people died.

In total, the dossier contains allegations against twelve UNRWA employees. More than half of them were working as teachers or in other functions at UN aid agency schools on October 7th. Of the twelve accused, ten are members of the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas. There is currently no confirmation of the allegations by the US government, wrote the New York Times. But Washington considers them credible.

Also read: Austria also suspends payments to the UN’s Palestinian relief organization

What effect does the payment stop have?

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to states that have suspended their payments to revise the decision. Current funding is not enough to support the approximately two million civilians in the Gaza Strip. In 2022, payments from the largest donor, the USA, amounted to around 344 million US dollars, the second largest donor was Germany with around 202 million, followed by the EU, Sweden, Norway, Japan and France.

Austria’s contribution appears modest in comparison: According to previous information from the Foreign Ministry, Austrian support for UNRWA is divided into an annual contribution of around 400,000 euros and project-related contributions of three million euros per year for a health project. All contributions to UNRWA are suspended “until all these allegations have been fully clarified and there is clarity about the consequences drawn from them.”

Austria acts in coordination with international partners. The United Nations founded UNRWA in 1949 to help Palestinian refugees. The Palestinians who fled or were expelled in 1948 and their descendants are entitled to their services. According to the organization, there are now around 5.9 million people.

More on the topic: UNRWA boss warns of end to Gaza aid after payments stop

How does the UN react to the allegations?

Of the twelve accused, nine were immediately identified and released, said UN Secretary General Guterres. One was declared dead and the identities of two other suspects were being clarified. From the perspective of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, the payment freeze may be unlawful. With their payment freeze, the countries “collectively punished millions of Palestinians at the most critical time.” Israel has long criticized the aid payments as possible indirect financing of Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA. The President of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, Mahmoud Abbas, however, accused Israel of a smear campaign against UNRWA.