NEW YORK/BEIRUT — Israel has yet to provide evidence for its accusations that hundreds of staff with the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees are members of terrorist groups, according to a review of the agency's neutrality released on Monday that could prompt some donor countries to review funding freezes.
UNRWA provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The review said UNRWA shares staff lists annually with the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. When asked about Marmorstein's comment, UNRWA communications director Juliette Touma said:"We encourage member states who have such information to share it with the ongoing investigation rather than with the media."
Following the Israeli allegations against UNRWA staff, the United States, UNRWA's biggest donor at US$300 million to US$400 million a year, paused funding, then the US Congress suspended contributions until at least March 2025.Israel has long complained about the agency, founded in 1949 to care for Palestinian refugees. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for UNRWA to be shut down, saying it seeks to preserve the issue of Palestinian refugees.