UNRWA has been part of the problem for 70 years

Well before the disclosure that employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees had involvement in the October 7 attack on Israel, it had become evident the organisation was mired in corruption. The allocation of international aid meant for Gaza seemed to have been diverted towards helping Hamas construct the tunnels connected to UNRWA buildings and schools.

The UNRWA, tasked with overseeing education in Gaza, had developed a “curriculum” that promoted the incitement of young children, fuelling the jihadi cause against Israelis.

A unique aspect of the Palestinian refugee definition includes all descendants of the original displaced individuals from the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

Interestingly, the UN allocates four times more funding per capita for Palestinian refugees than for other refugees, while maintaining separate bodies for dealing with Palestinian refugees and others.

The UNRWA has more than 30,000 employees while the world refugee agency (UN High Commissioner for Refugees), which handles tens of millions of refugees worldwide, employs only about 10,000 people. The decision to pause funds to the UNRWA appears justified, and an alternative channel must be explored to ensure aid reaches the beleaguered civilians of Gaza.

John Kempler, Rose Bay, NSW

The UNRWA has been in existence for more than 70 years. It supports millions of Palestinians and their descendants, unfortunates that Israel’s enemies refuse to integrate into their own societies, thus prolonging their so-called “refugee” status and reliance on donations from co-operating nations.

Extending this “charitable” situation assists in prolonging the poverty and suffering of these people and is taken advantage of by Hamas and allegedly corrupt UNRWA officials.

Compare this with Jewish refugees who fled or survived the Holocaust and were successfully absorbed in a relatively short time by countries that gave them refuge and freedom. Compare this also with the absorption of Middle Eastern and African Jews who fled to escape persecution in their homelands in which they had lived for hundreds of years until the establishment of Israel. These latter refugees were not taken advantage of for political reasons and were quickly absorbed by their host, Israel. They received no help from the UNRWA as Israel did this quietly and more efficiently.

Michael Adler, Mt Waverley, Vic

What an “amazing” coincidence that Australia joined the US/Israel co-ordinated PR response to the recent South African genocide case in the world court. Well, it’s obviously no coincidence that the day the world court rules against Israel’s astonishing overreach against civilians in Gaza that coordinated attacks against UN aid organisations occurred to deflect from the gravity of the court ruling.

The absurdity of pulling funding from an organisation with tens of thousands of employees because of untested allegations against a dozen or so people is just another example of the collective punishment that the world court frowned upon in its ruling.

Should we now also pull funding from the ABC because one of its reporters attended a black shirts rally or engaged in any other inappropriate behaviour? It’s a ridiculous response, and the Australian government should be roundly condemned for being part of this smokescreen.

Ralph Hahnheuser, Noosa Heads, Qld

So, Australia will join other nations in pausing funding to the UNRWA following allegations of its involvement in Hamas terrorism. Sixty years ago the US and Western allies saw no point in the UNRWA. It was considered unsuited for its intended role. But caving into Arab pressure, the UN allowed the agency to continue. In War of Return, a book by Adi Schwartz and Einat Wilf, it was reported “the die was cast: after a decade of attempts at rehabilitation and discussions to that end, the UNRWA stopped trying to execute the task for which it was founded”.

The UNRWA has long been a “useful asset” of Hamas and the terrorist cause. The UN similarly has allowed this situation to prevail and supported any move that sought to undermine Israel. If the world knew this 60 years ago, clearly Penny Wong and her counterparts on the world stage are no students of history when it comes to an understanding of the so-called “Palestinian problem”.

Geoff Ellis, Smithfield, Qld