Introductory notes: In ordinary times, the continued existence of UNRWA is a subject for debate as it is the only UN agency devoted to a specific refugee group in the world – the Palestinians. After reports emerged following October 7 that a dozen or more terrorists were employees of UNRWA (one was caught on camera taking an Israeli body on the road in southern Israel, loading it into his car and taking it as a dead “hostage” into Gaza), calls for nations to stop funding the organization became widespread.

There were roughly 10,000 Palestinian employees of UNRWA in Gaza before October 7, so it stands to reason that some were members of Hamas or were supporters of the terrorist organization. That said, Palestinian civilians are facing an imminent life and death crisis that requires redress, and UNRWA is the only organization able to get massive humanitarian aid to those civilians in desperate need of humanitarian support.

We Jews and lovers of Israel have a Jewish moral obligation to feed the hungry and help save and sustain the lives of innocent men, women and children in Gaza.

The following is a report written by Dr. Debra Shushan, Director of Policy at J Street, in which she reviews the challenges facing Gaza’s civilian population and why UNRWA must be funded. Read her review that follows and her policy report through the link at the end of this blog.

Debra writes:

“With its food insecurity crisis accelerating rapidly, reports show that the Gaza Strip could soon experience over 200 deaths from starvation per day and the most intense famine since World War II. Despite this, Congress passed and President Biden signed into law a major Fiscal Year 2024 spending package that includes a one-year ban on US funding for UNRWA – the UN agency charged with providing essential services to Palestinian refugees. NGOs in Gaza have made clear that UNRWA’s infrastructure and capacity for providing humanitarian aid is irreplaceable. While there is no ideal Plan B, it is imperative that the US government construct and implement the best possible alternative.

In this column, I break down the key elements of US actions to support the life-and-death effort to surge humanitarian aid into Gaza, including:

• Increasing contributions to other UN agencies and NGOs providing aid in Gaza
• Encouraging other countries to restore, and increase, their contributions to UNRWA
• Exploring any remaining avenues for providing US funding to UNRWA
• Using US leverage to facilitate a massive influx of aid into Gaza
• Expediting additive options, such as establishing a maritime corridor.

In the interest of Palestinian welfare, Israeli and regional stability, and US leadership and national security interests, the Biden Administration and allies in Congress must work together to implement the best possible Plan B – while gearing up for the fight to restore funding to UNRWA in Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations.

After Congressional Ban on UNRWA Funding, Biden Administration Must Find a Plan B.”