Foreign Secretary David Lammy today confirmed that the government would restore funding to the UN Refugee and Works Agency, which operates extensively in Gaza and the West Bank, after the UK joined a number of countries in suspending contributions in January in response to allegations that UNRWA employees had taken part in the 7 October Hamas attacks.
During a statement to the House of Commons, the foreign secretary characterised humanitarian aid as a “moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe” in Gaza.
“I was appalled by the allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attacks”, he said, continuing that “the UN took those allegations seriously. I have spoken to UN Secretary-General Guterres and Commissioner-General Lazzarini. Following Catherine Colonna’s independent review, we are reassured that UNRWA is ensuring that it meets the highest standards of neutrality and is strengthening its procedures, including on vetting”.
Among the £21 million in funding for UNRWA announced, he said, £1 million would go towards “support[ing] the implementation of those recommendations” made by the Colonna Report into resolving UNRWA’s alleged ties to Hamas, including neutrality, procedural and vetting standards.
The announcement followed a briefing from LFI earlier this week which endorsed the restoration of UNRWA funding in response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, while also arguing for the linking of that funding with reform to root out connections to Hamas and the longer-term transition away from UNRWA towards a reformed and revitalised Palestinian Authority.