This week’s sacking of nine UNRWA employees for their probable involvement in the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel came as no shock to observers, who say the news further diminishes Canada’s case for continuing to fund the contentious organization.
On Monday, the UN announced the firing of nine employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after an internal investigation into allegations that as many as 19 agency employees took part in the deadly Oct. 7 attacks that saw Hamas conduct a genocidal campaign of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault against Israeli communities near Gaza.
Gerald Steinberg, president of Jerusalem-based think tank NGO Monitor, told The Toronto Sun the number of UNRWA employees who hold membership in organizations like Hamas is much higher.
“There needs to be a serious, independent investigation,” he said.
“But at the same time, the fact they admitted there are nine people on staff directly related to terrorism is historic — and perhaps should lead to a more careful and professional policy for donor countries such as Canada.”
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One of the world’s biggest donors to UNRWA, Canada followed-suit with the United States earlier this year in suspending funding when the allegations were first made.
Canada promptly resumed funding soon after, in time to make its quarterly installment of a $100 million funding pledge to UNRWA.
Israeli intelligence provided to TheNational Post in April suggest as many as 2,135 UNRWA employees are also members of Palestinian terror organizations, with over three-quarters belonging to Hamas.
“Canada’s one of the largest funders of UNRWA, with over $200 million provided since 2016, when Trudeau resumed funding after Harper cut it,” Steinberg said, recalling pledges to be diligent the money wouldn’t support terror.
“Canada has been acting irresponsibly, this government’s been acting irresponsibly. Instead of setting an example, they’ve been one of the worst in terms of continuing to expand funding and making pledges they had no intention of keeping.”
Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) Vice-President David Cooper told the Sun the nine fired employees are only the tip of the iceberg, and called on Canada to send its humanitarian dollars elsewhere.
“Israel has given the UN an additional list of at least 100 UNRWA employees who moonlight as Hamas operatives,” he said.
“Canada must stop funding UNRWA and instead support alternative organizations, such as the UN World Food Programme and World Central Kitchen, to deliver humanitarian aid to Gazans.”
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