The National Jewish Assembly (NJA) strongly denounces the UK government’s irresponsible decision to reinstate funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), despite overwhelming evidence of its deep entanglement with Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organisations. This move, championed by Foreign Secretary David Lammy and endorsed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, represents a shameful capitulation to political pressures and a disregard for the safety of Israelis and the broader international community.
A recently released UN Watch investigation titled “The Unholy Alliance: UNRWA, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad” confirms what has long been known: UNRWA is neither neutral nor independent. Its senior management not only employs individuals linked to Hamas terrorism but actively allows these groups to obstruct its decisions and policies. The report highlights that more than 10% of UNRWA’s senior educators in Gaza are tied to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, two terrorist organisations that have openly declared their goal of annihilating Israel. Read the full report here.
Gary Mond, Chairman of the NJA, stated: “The UK government’s decision to restore £21 million in funding to an organisation deeply compromised by Hamas influence is appalling. UNRWA has proven time and again that it is a puppet for Palestinian terrorist factions, indoctrinating children into violence, enabling the construction of terror tunnels, and perpetuating the suffering of the very people it claims to serve. This is not humanitarian aid—it is a direct subsidy for terrorism.”
Despite hollow assurances from UNRWA and the UK government regarding neutrality reforms, the report details instances of UNRWA officials colluding with Hamas, obstructing disciplinary measures against terrorist-linked staff, and providing platforms for incitement. The UK’s decision to re-enter this unholy alliance legitimises and emboldens the very forces that destabilise the region.
The NJA calls for an immediate reversal of this decision and urges the UK government to redirect its resources towards genuinely neutral and effective humanitarian organisations. The NJA remains steadfast in its commitment to exposing and opposing any action that jeopardises the security of the Jewish state and global peace.
