The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza has drastically fallen short of its mission to educate and promote peace. Instead, it has become a haven for terrorism, offering aid and protection to Hamas, a globally recognized terrorist group, while collaborating with the Palestinian Authority. Together, they fuel antisemitism, celebrate violence, and perpetuate conflict.
Established in 1949, UNRWA was meant to provide temporary aid to Palestinian refugees. Unlike other refugee populations who receive support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Palestinians have their own agency. However, this unique arrangement has solidified their status as perpetual refugees, fostering generations of hatred and rejection of peace.
The ingrained animosity towards Israelis and Jews is a direct result of systematic indoctrination, starting in UN-funded schools. A chilling example from a fifth-grade textbook glorifies Dalal Mughrabi, a terrorist responsible for the 1978 Coastal Road Massacre in Tel Aviv, which killed 38 Israeli civilians, including 13 children, portraying her as a hero and martyr.
Beyond failing to promote peace education, UNRWA has actively hindered peace efforts. Its facilities have been used to store weapons and launch rocket attacks against Israeli civilians.
Israel has identified numerous UNRWA employees who are also Hamas operatives, highlighting a concerning overlap between the humanitarian organization and the terrorist group. The UN's silence on this issue is deeply troubling.
The case of Yonatan Samerano, kidnapped by an UNRWA employee, further underscores the organization's complicity in terrorism. The lack of accountability from the UN for its employees' involvement in such brutal acts is unacceptable.
Contrary to popular belief, UNRWA is not the most essential humanitarian organization in Gaza. Other groups, free from Hamas influence and genuinely dedicated to improving the lives of Gazans, have achieved significantly more. The World Food Program, for example, has provided a far greater share of humanitarian aid in recent months.
It is time for the UN to dissolve UNRWA and support alternative agencies that prioritize peace and the well-being of Gazans. This is the only path towards a more hopeful future for the region.
