Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, during her confirmation hearing in the U.S. Senate after being nominated by President Trump to serve as UN ambassador, January 21, 2025. (X)
Congresswoman tapped by Trump to serve as American ambassador to the United Nations backs Israel’s ‘biblical right’ to Judea and Samaria, rips UN as ‘antisemitic,’ and vows to reassess support for funding of UN programs.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
Senators questioned President Donald Trump’s nominee for Ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday, grilling the congresswoman over her views regarding the international body, Palestinian statehood, and the future of American funding for various UN agencies, including the controversial Palestinian relief organization UNRWA.
Rep. Elise Stefanik appeared in the U.S. Senate Tuesday for a hearing on her nomination, which must be confirmed by a majority of the upper chamber of Congress.
Fielding questions from lawmakers at the hearing, Stefanik called the United Nations “antisemitic,” pledging to both work towards reforming the UN and reconsidering American funding for some of its activities.
Stefanik vowed that under her leadership, the American mission to the UN would “be a voice of moral clarity on the UN Security Council and at the United Nations at large for the world to hear the importance of standing with Israel.”
Regarding the $18 billion the U.S. provides the United Nations annually, Stefanik promised a comprehensive reassessment of taxpayer funding for every UN program currently receiving American government funds.
“If confirmed, I am committed to a full review across the UN’s programs. I think it’s very important that we do a full review, as the president announced the executive order today as well regarding all of foreign aid, and I would make sure that we are being good stewards of US taxpayer dollars.”
In particular, Stefanik took aim at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), over the agency’s ties to Palestinian terrorism, including links to Hamas and the October 7th, 2023 invasion of Israel.
“There were individuals in UNRWA who participated, who executed and committed terrorist acts against Israel on Oct. 7. [Yahyah] Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, carried an UNRWA passport. You had a Hamas data center under UNRWA headquarters, so the rot is deep,” Stefanik said.
“Congress made the right decision. I was proud to be one of the leaders when it came to defunding UNRWA, and I am committed to holding them accountable.”
During the hearing, Chris Van Hollen, Maryland’s senior Democratic senator, questioned Stefanik whether she supported Palestinian self-determination or Israel’s biblical rights to Judea and Samaria as parts of the ancient Jewish homeland.
Van Hollen claimed Stefanik had in private expressed support for Palestinian self-determination, as well as Israel’s “biblical right to the entire West Bank,” citing the views of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
“I believe the Palestinian people deserve so much better than the failures that they’ve had under terrorist leadership,” Stefanik said, regarding Palestinian self-determination. “Of course they deserve human rights.”
Regarding whether she believes in Israel’s “biblical right” to Judea and Samaria, Stefanik simply replied “yes.”
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