UNRWA Fueled Anti-Israel Hate and Celebrated Hamas' Barbaric Oct. 7 Atrocities Against Israel – All at U.S. Taxpayers' Expense

When I served as America’s Secretary of State, I saw firsthand the failures and shortcomings of the United Nations. They embrace a radical, failed ideology that so often runs counter to both American values and American interests. But a report released this week shocked even me.

It turns out that hundreds of teachers employed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) actively celebrated the Hamas attacks on October 7th and, in some instances, took pride in having influenced them.  Antisemitism thrives in many international organizations – just this week – the U.N.’s top court, the International Court of Justice, is hearing a case that absurdly accuses Israel of committing genocide in its efforts to wipe out Hamas – but antisemitism is particularly pernicious in UNRWA, which is one of the many reasons the Trump Administration refused to fund it.  Unfortunately, the Biden Administration reversed course and has given this organization close to a $1 billion American taxpayer dollars.

The report, released by the group UN Watch, found that individuals on the U.N.’s payroll in Gaza used official channels meant for internal communication to praise Hamas’ barbaric acts on October 7th.  One UNRWA teacher shared a post of a suicide bomb vest wired with explosives and beneath the photo wrote, “Wait, sons of Judaism.”  The same teacher went on to praise one of the terrorists who committed atrocities that day, calling him a “martyr,” “friend,” and “brother.” Another UNRWA teacher urged Gazan civilians to disregard the IDF’s warnings to move from areas that would soon come under attack and into safer areas to the south, saying that “the occupation focuses on psychological warfare to strike the home front.”  How many innocent deaths – of Israelis and Gazans alike – did UNRWA’s cadre of radical, militant Palestinian “teachers” contribute to?

This was, sadly, an entirely predictable outcome.  Flush with taxpayer dollars from foolish Western nations – including, gallingly, the United States – UNRWA has long fueled radical Palestinian extremism in the West Bank and Gaza through its programs.  As far back as the 1960s, UNRWA schools have taught Palestinian children to hate the Jewish people, idolize violent acts of terror, and long for a vengeful return to Israel.  In the past, Hamas has stored its weapons in UNRWA schools, and last month IDF forces uncovered dozens of missiles hidden underneath equipment bearing UNRWA’s insignia.  A few weeks after the October 7th attacks, UNRWA tweeted out that Hamas had stolen a massive amount of fuel from its compound, only to delete the tweet after coming under pressure from Hamas.  One of the hostages released by Hamas said he was held captive by a currently employed UNRWA teacher.  This organization is not just tolerating the operations of Hamas; it is actively aiding and abetting them while ensuring that each new generation of Palestinians in Gaza grow up to become Hamas' soldiers and terrorists.

We knew this in the Trump Administration.  That’s why we ended all UNRWA funding during my time as Secretary of State.  America’s foreign assistance should serve America’s fundamental, core interests; it should never fund acts of terror and the murder of innocents.

Unfortunately, the Biden Administration reversed these decisions and went right back to funding Palestinian terror.  Since President Biden took office in 2021, his Administration has sent more than $730 million to UNRWA.  His Administration provides constant cover for the agency, excusing its wrongdoings by attempting to separate it from Hamas’ depravity.  Don’t take my word for it; just read the words spoken by White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby last week: “You can’t hold [UNRWA] accountable for the depredations of Hamas and the way Hamas uses civilian infrastructure, including hospitals as command-and-control centers, for storage of weapons, for the holding of hostages.”  Kirby and the President for whom he speaks are dead wrong about UNRWA.  This is an organization that is deeply entangled in the same work and mission embraced by Hamas, which is why it employs scores of individuals who are not only sympathetic to Hamas but actively celebrate its barbarity.

Through UNRWA, Western aid has not made Gaza a better place to live for the Palestinian people.  The opposite is true: It has facilitated Hamas’ grip on power since it took over Gaza in 2014, and it has deepened the misery of the Palestinian people by teaching each new generation of children to hate Jews, hate Israel, and idolize wicked acts of terror.  The Biden Administration should be ashamed that American tax dollars paid for the salaries of individuals who celebrated and contributed to the violence we saw on October 7th.

Funding to UNRWA should be cut off immediately.  In fact, it should be considered illegal under U.S. law, just as the Biden Administration’s funding of the Palestinian Authority is in violation of the Taylor Force Act.  Congress should take all steps necessary to hold the Biden Administration and the Department of State accountable and stop them from funding America’s enemies.