Britain to resume funding for UNRWA in Gaza despite Israel’s claims

Jul 19

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer)

This report was created with support from enhanced software.

When the U.K. Labour Party’s won the country’s snap elections on Thursday, July 4, the country was bound to see policy changes. On Friday, July 19, the new government announced the first major change: a shift in its approach to the war in Gaza.

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Now, the U.K. will once again fund the United Nations’ Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA. The reversal came after Britain joined several other countries, including the U.S., in January to stop funding after Israel claimed that some agency workers were involved in Hamas’ initial terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

New British Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the UNRWA the “backbone” for aid in Gaza. He said the agency reassured him that it took steps to improve vetting with “the highest standards of neutrality.”

Lammy said the British government would provide 21 million pounds ($27 million) to the agency for food, shelter and other aid to the millions of Palestinians.

A review earlier this year led by a former French foreign minister found Israel did not have evidence to back its claims. Other countries. including Australia, Germany, Italy and Japan, also resumed their funding.

Tags: Gaza, Great Britain, Hamas, Israel, United Kingdom, United Nations

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

WITH THE LABOUR PARTY’S LANDSLIDE VICTORY EARLIER THIS MONTH – BRITAIN WAS BOUND TO SEE POLICY CHANGES NOT FAR BEHIND.

ON FRIDAY – THE NEW GOVERNMENT MAKING A SHIFT IN ITS APPROACH TO THE WAR IN GAZA – NOW SAYING IT WILL ONCE AGAIN FUND THE U.N. PALESTINIAN REFUGEE AGENCY UNRWA.

THIS IS A REVERSAL AFTER BRITAIN JOINED SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES INCLUDING THE US IN JANUARY TO HALT FUNDING AMID ACCUSATIONS BY ISRAEL THAT SOME AGENCY WORKERS WERE INVOLVED IN HAMAS’ TERRORIST ATTACK BACK ON OCTOBER 7TH OF LAST YEAR.

NEW BRITISH PRIME MINISTER DAVID LAMMY CALLED THE UNRWA THE “BACKBONE” FOR AID IN GAZA – AND HAS BEEN REASSURED THE AGENCY HAS TAKEN STEPS TO IMPROVE VETTING AND HAVE QUOTE “THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF NEUTRALITY.”

LAMMY ANNOUNCING THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE 21 MILLION POUNDS – EQUAL TO 27 MILLION US DOLLARS – TO THE AGENCY FOR FOOD, SHELTER AND OTHER AID TO THE MILLIONS OF PALESTINIANS.

A REVIEW EARLIER THIS YEAR LED BY A FORMER FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER FOUND ISRAEL DID NOT HAVE EVIDENCE TO BACK ITS CLAIMS.

OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE AUSTRALIA, GERMANY, ITALY AND JAPAN HAVE ALSO RESUMED THEIR FUNDING.