Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives are demanding the prohibition of funding for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in any upcoming fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill.
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), along with eight other Republican representatives, sent a letter on Monday urging an end to UNRWA funding to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.), Minority House Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
“UNRWA, which had numerous employees participate in the horrific Oct. 7 attack on Israel, is more interested in fueling terror and supporting Hamas than it is in helping innocent civilians,” Jackson said. “The United States cannot be subsidizing an entity that unapologetically supports terrorist organizations like Hamas and works to destroy Israel.”
The representatives’ letter cited a report from The Times of Israel that showed Israel provided the United Nations and UNRWA with a list of more than 100 employees with ties to Hamas and other terror groups, insisting on their immediate firing. The letter stated that the “agency has failed to take any meaningful action.”
“The United Nations has an extensive history of systematically isolating and attacking the State of Israel,” the letter stated. “And UNRWA is deliberately working against Israel by refusing to share the identities of its employees and by employing terrorists and their affiliates.”
Co-signers of the letter included Reps. Randy Weber (R-Texas), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), Keith Self (R-Texas), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.).
“Our greatest ally in the Middle East took action against UNRWA, and the United States must stand with Israel at this decisive moment by taking similar action,” Jackson said. “America must lead with principle and strength.”
