The Age/ AP | Matthew Knott | 30 January 2024
Why oh why has the Government bowed to this ridiculous false flag from the Israeli Government – whether individuals were involved with the Hamas attack or not why punish 2.5 million people for the actions of a few – Mark
The top Palestinian representative in Australia has blasted the federal government for suspending payments to the United Nations’ main humanitarian organisation in Gaza and the West Bank, saying the move will cost innocent lives and fuel extremism in Australia.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on the weekend that the government would pause the disbursement of $6 million in extra funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) after the organisation fired several staffers suspected of taking part in the October 7 attacks that killed 1200 Israelis. Wong’s decision was attacked by the Greens but welcomed by the Coalition and pro-Israel groups, some of which urged making the pause in funding permanent.
Izzat Salah Abdulhadi, the head of the General Delegation of Palestine in Australia, called on the government to immediately reverse its decision to pause payments to UNRWA, saying that the organisation could not vet every Palestinian employee for their political leanings.
‘‘This is one of the worst decisions by the Albanese government,’’ Abdulhadi said. ‘‘This is more than disappointing – it is collective punishment against more than 5 million Palestinians and 30,000 UNRWA workers. This means more people will die. This will add to the suffering of the people in Gaza.’’
Abdulhadi said he believed the decision would encourage radicalisation among members of the Australian Muslim and Arabic communities, who felt the government had abandoned civilians in Gaza.
He said organisations such as the Red Cross operated at a much smaller scale than UNRWA, which ran most of the schools in Gaza as well as medical centres and teacher training facilities.
The United States, Canada, Britain, Finland and Italy have also temporarily halted funding to the agency, which announced it has terminated contracts with several employees and ordered an investigation after Israel provided information alleging they played a role in the October 7 attack.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham welcomed the decision but questioned why Wong announced extra UNRWA funding during a trip to the Middle East earlier this month given concerns about the organisation were well known. ‘‘Not one dollar of Australian taxpayers’ money should be going to activities that could fund or support terrorism, could promote or exacerbate extremism,’’ he told Sky News yesterday.
‘‘We must be very careful and cautious to ensure that Australian taxpayers’ dollars are supporting genuine humanitarian needs.’’
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi called for the government to reverse its decision, saying: ‘‘Suspending life-saving funding to the largest relief provider in Gaza is nothing short of catastrophic.’’
Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said: ‘‘We welcome the government’s announcement and hope the suspension of funding is made permanent in time.
‘‘Extreme care must be taken to ensure that Australian aid spending never goes to malevolent actors like UNRWA ever again.’’
UNRWA, a standalone agency devoted to Palestinian refugees, employs thousands of Palestinians and provides aid and services to millions of people across the Middle East. In Gaza, it has been the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians during the Israel-Hamas war.
Israel has long railed against the agency, accusing it of tolerating or even collaborating with Hamas and of perpetuating the 75-year-old Palestinian refugee crisis. The Israeli government has accused Hamas and other militant groups of siphoning off aid and using UN facilities for military purposes.
UNRWA denies those allegations and says it took swift action against the employees accused of taking part in the attack. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, or 87 per cent of the population, relied on UNRWA services that would be scaled back as soon as February if the money is not restored.
What is UNRWA and why was it created?
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East was established to provide aid to the estimated 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel during the 1948 war surrounding the country’s creation. The Palestinians say the refugees and their descendants, who now number nearly 6 million across the Middle East, have the right to return to their homes.
Israel has refused because if the right of return were to be fully implemented it would result in a Palestinian majority inside its borders. The fate of the refugees and their descendants was among the thorniest issues in the peace process, which ground to a halt in 2009.
In Gaza, where about 85 per cent of the territory’s 2.3 million people have fled their homes, over 1 million are sheltering in UNRWA schools and other facilities.
What do Israel and other critics say about UNRWA?
Israel accuses UNRWA of turning a blind eye as Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, siphons off aid intended for civilians and fights from in and around UN facilities, several of which have been struck during the war. It has also exposed Hamas tunnels running next to or under UNRWA facilities, and accuses the agency of teaching hatred of Israel in its schools. UNRWA denies those allegations. It says it has no links to Hamas or any other militant groups, and investigates any allegations of wrongdoing and holds staff accountable. It says it shares lists of its staff with Israel and other host countries.
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