The National Jewish Assembly (NJA) expresses profound disappointment and outrage at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) for its catastrophic failure to fulfill its mandate in Gaza. The recent outbreak of polio, requiring the urgent vaccination of 640,000 children, is a damning indictment of UNWRA’s incompetence and misplaced priorities. Rather than focusing on the welfare of the people it purports to serve, UNWRA has been more preoccupied with enabling Hamas terrorism, resulting in devastating consequences for the most vulnerable.
NJA Vice Chairman Laurence Julius stated, “The near eradication of polio was one of the greatest public health achievements in history. The fact that we now face a massive polio outbreak in Gaza, due to UNWRA’s dereliction of duty, is utterly unacceptable. This crisis could and should have been avoided if UNWRA had fulfilled its basic responsibilities instead of facilitating the agenda of terrorist organisations.”
In stark contrast, Israel has shown immense compassion by allowing the vaccination campaign to proceed, even as it remains under attack on multiple fronts. The humanitarian pauses, critical for the success of the vaccination drive, are only being adhered to by Israel. Despite this, terrorist factions continue to launch attacks on Israel with impunity, demonstrating the double standard that exists in international expectations.
The NJA commends Israel for its commitment to protecting innocent lives, including those of Palestinian children, despite the ongoing threats from Islamist terrorists to Israel’s own citizens. It is clear that only Israel is held to account, while others flout the rules and continue their aggression without consequence.
The NJA calls on the international community to reassess its support for UNWRA, an agency that has proven itself hopelessly incapable of fulfilling its mandate. The safety and health of children should never be compromised by an organisation more focused on politics than on its humanitarian obligations.
