Israel’s UN ambassador blasts Biden move to refund UNRWA

“Israel is strongly opposed to the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activity happening in UNRWA’s facilities,” Erdan declared.

By David Isaac, World Israel News

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan on Wednesday expressed his strong objection to the Biden administration’s decision to restore aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA).

“Israel is strongly opposed to the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activity happening in UNRWA’s facilities,” Erdan said.

“We believe that this UN agency for so-called ‘refugees’ should not exist in its current format. UNRWA schools regularly use materials that incite against Israel and the twisted definition used by the agency to determine who is a ‘refugee’ only perpetuates the conflict,” he added in a Wednesday Twitter post.

Israel strongly opposes renewing funding for @UNRWA, an anti-Semitic agency that incites against Israel and uses a twisted definition of who is a “refugee.” Rather than solving the conflict, UNRWA perpetuates it. Any return to funding it must be contingent on essential reforms. pic.twitter.com/52oHtv0prz

— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) April 7, 2021

Erdan said he had expressed his “disappointment and objection” to the State Department, noting that the U.S. decision should not have been made without “first ensuring that certain reforms, including stopping the incitement and removing anti-Semitic content from its educational curriculum, are carried out.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $235 million in aid to the Palestinians on Wednesday, with the bulk of it ($150 million) going to UNRWA, saying the organization provided “hope and stability.”

UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini thanked the U.S. for resuming aid, saying “There is no other institution that does what UNRWA does, and we are committed to protecting the safety, health and future of the millions of refugees we serve.”

The Trump administration cancelled aid to UNRWA in 2018 amid reports of UNRWA employing members of Hamas and permitting its schools to teach a curriculum that vilified Israel, promoted anti-Semitism and opposed the peace process.

“The United States will no longer commit further funding to this irredeemably flawed operation,” said State Department Spokesman Heather Nauert at the time.

Then-U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said, “The Palestinians continue to bash America… [and yet] they have their hand out wanting UNRWA money.”

Gilad ErdanPalestinian aidUNRWA