ICYMI: Issa, House Conservatives Demand End to U.S. Funding for UNRWA

Washington – This week, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), along with 36 House Republican colleagues, wrote to congressional appropriators calling for an end to U.S. taxpayer funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
 
The letter, highlighted in an exclusive from the New York Post, details evidence that UNRWA schools systemically teach hatred of Israel, more than 1,000 UNRWA employees are directly tied to terrorist groups and 12 UNRWA employees directly participated in the October 7 terror attack on Israel by Hamas.
 
Congressman Issa's letter includes the following:
 
“The totality of evidence regarding UNRWA’s conduct demonstrates its systemic and incurable ties to terror. Credible allegations that twelve UNRWA employees were connected to the October 7 attack have led to a pause in funding by the United States and several other donor countries. On January 29, 2024, the Wall Street Journal published intelligence assessments describing UNRWA’s deep ties to Hamas and other terrorist groups. Specifically, roughly 1,200 UNRWA employees, or about 10 percent of its Gaza staff, have ties to terrorist groups, while half have close relatives who belong to these groups.
 
In short, UNRWA is part of the problem and so, we believe U.S. funding must not be permitted. As Congress works to advance appropriations legislation, we respectfully request that you include language prohibiting any funds from being made available to UNRWA in the FiscalYear 2024 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. We appreciate your attention to this timely and important matter.”
 
The full letter can be found here.

On January 30, 2024, Rep. Issa also participated in a House Foreign Affairs joint Subcommittee hearing on UNRWA and focused his questions on the organization’s antisemitic education programs.
 
Additionally, Rep. Issa joined Foreign Affairs Chairman McCaul in a letter requesting Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, to appear before the Foreign Affairs committee to address systemic and growing concerns over theft of UNRWA aid products and agency ties to Hamas.

Rep. Issa was also joined by Rep. Wagner (MO-02) in sending a letter to Secretary Blinken demanding the State Department “immediately reclaim the tens of millions of dollars it has obligated or committed to UNRWA.”