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Despite Looming Gaza Famine, U.S. Halts UNRWA Funding After Israel Claims 12 U.N. Staff Aided 10/7 Attack (www.democracynow.org)

submitted 5 months ago by roastedDeflator@kbin.social to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml

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On the same day the U.N.'s highest court accepted South Africa's case alleging genocide in Gaza, Israel accused 12 employees with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, of taking part in the Hamas attack on October 7. The United States and at least 10 other nations have now suspended funding to the agency, which retains a staff of over 13,000 and provides essential aid to most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. “It’s the worst possible reaction to these allegations,” says Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council. He calls for an investigation but says donors must continue to support aid groups, with UNRWA being the most important. “All of us combined other groups are not even close to being what UNRWA is for the people of Gaza,” says Egeland. UNRWA has responded to the allegations by announcing the group will “immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation.”

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[–] Kraven_the_Hunter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 35 points 5 months ago

If this is the justification for ending US funding, then shouldn't we also apply it to Bibi himself? It's widely known that he supported Hamas. Why are we still giving him money?

[–] filister@lemmy.world 24 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Just to give you a perspective here we are talking about 12/13.000 total employees, that's less than 0.1% of their staff.

And what is the plan to deliver the humanitarian aid in Gaza now that UNRWA is severely defunded?

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 23 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

UNRWA giving these accusations credence was the wrong move. My assumption is that they wanted to stop this exact thing from happening, but all they did is legitimize the claims against them. The claims are probably bogus because the Zionists accuse everyone who stands in the way of their genocide of being Hamas, whatever evidence they have is probably highly circumstantial bullshit.

[–] kiagam@lemmy.world 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The U.N. (as an organization) is always in a weird position, if they take a hard stance on something they risk their own existence. Saying they will investigate the allegations is reasonable, altough immediately firing the people involved is a bit too much.

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 15 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Yeah, I'm wondering if the UN will survive if the ICJ finds Israel guilty of the crime of genocide. They issued a decision that Israel must take steps to prevent genocide and already Israel is openly defying them buy just calling for more genocide. The UN needs countries to cooperate to have legitimacy, otherwise it's just going to go the way of the League of Nations.

[–] OurTragicUniverse@kbin.social 14 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

"""Looming famine"""?! It is already a famine, there is no food in Gaza. There hasn't been sufficient aid delivered for weeks. Thousands of people flocked to a beach last week for a few hundred bags of flour. Luckier people have been eating animal grain and pet food and that's running out if not already.

It's fucking shameful to be part of this species. Every single day it just gets fucking worse. How is this who we are and why is it acceptable?