It’s time to end UNRWA, a/k/a Hamas Lite

The Palestinians in Gaza need relief, but it should not come from UNRWA, the embattled U.N. relief agency with a controversial present, and past.

UNRWA stands for United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and it deals exclusively with Palestinian “refugees.” 

The other U.N. refugee relief agency is the High Commission for Refugees and it covers the entire rest of the world. That’s one way Palestinians get special treatment, coddled, you might say.

One agency, the High Commission, with a decent reputation, serves the globe. Another, UNRWA, serves a tiny slice of humanity and can be called Hamas Lite.

It’s time to disband UNRWA.

Not because at least a dozen of its workers stand accused of actually participating in the Oct. 7 massacre of some 1,200 Israelis, almost all civilians, but also because the Wall Street Journal has reported allegations that as much as 10% of its 13,000 work force in Gaza is affiliated with terrorist organizations.

It employs mostly Palestinians, and reportedly not a single Jew, by design.

In contrast to the High Commission, UNRWA has extended refugee status to the descendants of refugees, thus continually increasing the number of people for which it is responsible. That’s another way Palestinians get special treatment.

An earlier controversy occurred in 2019, when several top leaders were accused of ethics violations, resulting in several resignations.

It has been reported several times that textbooks distributed by UNRWA to Arab school children glorify terrorism, and are filled with anti-Semitic and anti-Israel material.

It might as well be an arm of Hamas or Islamic Jihad.

It has to be terminated.

Its role can be assumed by the U.N.’s High Commission, or by an agency even more trustworthy — the Red Cross.

A cross in an Arab territory?

Controversial, yes, but when you are cold and hungry, will you refuse aid because it comes from the Red Cross?

If you do — that’s on you.

But having my tax dollars go to the corrupt UNRWA — that’s on me.