The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel refugee crisis organization dedicated to serving refugees in and from the Palestinian territories. ^{1 2} It operates 58 refugee camps and maintains locations in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. ³ UNRWA conducts humanitarian relief work on behalf of Palestinian refugees in the form of education, healthcare, financial investments, and other relief social services. ^{1 4 5}

The UNRWA Commissioner General is Philippe Lazzarini, an individual with a history of vehement opposition to the State of Israel, including accusations he made against the Israeli military of targeting UNRWA workers and United Nations buildings in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. ^{6 2}

UNRWA has ties to Hamas, the political party and terrorist organization that operates in the Gaza Strip and West Bank and that has engaged in violence against the State of Israel. ^{7 8 9} A 2024 investigation by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) concluded that UNRWA employees participated in the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. ¹⁰

In response to open UNRWA antagonism and opposition, and the participation of its employees in terrorism against Israel, the Israeli Knesset voted 92-10 on two bills in October 2024 to ban UNRWA from operating in Israel. ¹¹

History

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East was established in 1948 in response to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The agency began operations in May 1950 to find a solution to the ensuing refugee problem. In the absence of a solution to this problem, the UN General Assembly has repeatedly renewed UNRWA’s mandate, most recently extending it until June 30, 2026. ¹²

The agency originally defined Palestinian refugees as “persons whose normal place of residence was [the former British Mandate of] Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.” In 1965, UNRWA changed the eligibility requirements to include third-generation descendants. In 1982, it extended it again to include all descendants of Palestinian refugee males, including legally adopted children, regardless of whether they had been granted citizenship elsewhere. This classification process is inconsistent with how most other refugees in the world are classified, including the definition used by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the laws concerning refugees in the United States. ¹³ This shift in raised the number of refugees under UNRWA’s purview from approximately 750,000 to over 5 million. ¹⁴

Observations made in several media outlets claim that by expanding the number of Palestinian refugees while maintaining an absolute “right to return,” including to territory inside the 1948 armistice lines constituting the internationally recognized borders of Israel proper, UNRWA perpetuates a refugee crisis in Palestine rather than solving it. ^{13 15 14} UNRWA’s historical and present mandate is to aid in the humanitarian situation in Palestine and develop a solution to end the Palestinian refugee crisis. ¹

Refugee Relief Work

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East provides a range of humanitarian services for Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and Gaza. One of UNRWA’s central initiatives is education. The agency operates schools that provide education to Palestinian refugee children. It also offers comprehensive healthcare services, including primary healthcare clinics, maternal and child health services, vaccinations, and mental health support. UNRWA provides social support to vulnerable families, including cash assistance, food aid, and programs aimed at improving livelihoods and reducing poverty among refugees. In response to emergencies or economic hardships, UNRWA distributes food aid and essential supplies to ensure that refugees meet their basic needs, such as blankets, clothing, and tents. UNRWA also works on improving living conditions in refugee camps through infrastructure projects, such as upgrading water supply systems, sanitation facilities, and housing. The agency provides protection and advocacy for Palestinian refugees, focusing on their rights and needs, particularly in contexts of conflict and displacement. ⁴

In times of crisis, such as armed conflicts or natural disasters, UNRWA mobilizes to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, including shelter, food, and medical care. ⁴

UNRWA claims that these services aim to support the well-being and development of Palestinian refugees, addressing both immediate humanitarian needs and longer-term stability and self-reliance. ¹

Ties to Terrorism

Pre-2023 Allegations

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East has a long history of alleged ties to terrorism. In 2004, then-Commissioner General Peter Hansen told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, “I am sure that there are Hamas members on the UNRWA payroll and I don’t see that as a crime.” Hansen left his post soon after making these comments. ¹⁶ In 2007, a UNRWA ambulance driver admitted to transporting weapons for Hamas in his official UNRWA vehicle. ¹⁷

In 2013, a documentary entitled Camp Jihad showed Palestinian children being indoctrinated with anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic books that honored and supported Islamic martyrdom at an UNRWA summer camp. ¹³ In 2014, Hamas rockets were discovered twice in one week inside UNRWA schools. ¹⁸ A United Nations report suggests that the rockets may have been fired from the school as well. ¹⁹ According to a 2015 report, in every Palestinian school, including those run by UNRWA, there is a Hamas-appointed representative who recruits students to the Islamic Bloc, Hamas’s student group. ²⁰ In April 2017, UNRWA teacher and Chairman of the UNRWA Employees’ Union in Gaza, Suhail al-Hindi, resigned amid allegations he had been elected to the Hamas leadership. ²¹ Also in 2017, Israel discovered a system of tunnels running under UNRWA schools, which led then-Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Dannon to argue that UNRWA facilities are routinely used as “terror bases” and Gazan children as “human shields.” ²²

October 7, 2023 Terror Attack & Israel-Hamas War

In January 2024, Israel claimed that 10 percent of all UNRWA employees in Gaza have ties to terror organizations, in addition to at least 12 employees it says were involved in the October 7 Hamas terror attack. The Associated Press also reported that it saw an Israeli document alleging that at least 190 UNRWA workers were themselves Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives. ⁹ After these allegations, 19 countries suspended their funding to UNRWA, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, the United Kingdom, the United States, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as the European Union announced the suspension of funding to UNRWA, freezing more than $900 million. ²³

In July 2024, United Nations Watch legal adviser Dina Rovner reported that the alleged involvement of UNRWA employees in the October 7 attack is part of a wider pattern. She cited the case of Fateh Al-Sharif, who heads the UNRWA Lebanon teachers’ union and is a principal at the UNRWA Deir Yassin School in Tyre, Lebanon. According to Rovner, Al-Sharif is a key figure in Hamas in Lebanon who has attended numerous Hamas events, often appearing next to the group’s leaders. According to Rovner, Al-Sharif’s Facebook profile was full of praise for Hamas terrorists and Hamas resistance. Al-Sharif allegedly celebrated the October 7 attack and endorsed Hamas taking Israeli civilian hostages. Despite Al-Sharif’s radicalism, it took four months for UNRWA to take action against him. However, his suspension led to massive protests organized by Hamas, which resulted in Al-Sharif’s reinstatement, Rovner said. ⁸

Despite initial claims that UNRWA workers were not involved in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack, UNRWA fired 19 employees while the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) conducted an investigation into the matter. In August 2024, OIOS completed its investigation and concluded that nine UNRWA members participated in or were involved with the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini issued a statement condemning the participation of his employees in the attack and reaffirming UNRWA’s disapproval of Hamas’ terrorism. ¹⁰ Still, some claimed this apology and the firing of UNRWA employees was “meaningless propaganda” considering UNRWA’s substantial record of ties to terrorism. ⁷

In November 2024, a UNRWA employee claimed that agency vehicles and resources were commandeered by Hamas during its October 7 attack on Israel. The employee alleged that Hamas has used the agency’s vehicles for its terror activities throughout the enclave under the protection of the United Nations branding on the vehicles. ²⁴

Israeli Ban

In October 2024, the Israeli Knesset approved two bills aimed at blocking the activity of UNRWA in areas under Israeli control in east Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Yuli Edelstein argued that UNRWA’s agenda “eternalized” the Palestinian refugee problem and that the agency’s history of Hamas sympathy and membership justified the ban. Israeli sources have not confirmed which organization will replace the work of UNRWA. The bills received support from the Netanyahu government and some opposition parties, including National Unity, Yisrael Beytenu, and Yesh Atid. while the Democrats faction abstained and the Arab-Israeli parties opposed the legislation. ¹¹

In response to the national ban, UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini released a statement expressing his concern for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. He claimed that “there is no alternative to UNRWA,” and that Palestinians will suffer from lack of aid. Lazzarini said he will bring the matter to the attention of the United Nations General Assembly. ²⁵

Accusations of Israeli Targeting

In May 2024, UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini published an op-ed in the New York Times in which he alleged that Israel was targeting UNRWA employees and facilities during its military response to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In the article, Lazzarini accused Israel of making false accusations against UNRWA officials and the United Nations generally which resulted in deaths and casualties of humanitarian workers. Specifically, Lazzarini argued that Israel’s claims that UNRWA employees had connections to Hamas and participated in the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks were false. Lazzarini called for the establishment of an independent investigative body through a United Nations Security Council or General Assembly resolution to understand Israel’s actions and identify those responsible for the alleged attacks on its agencies. Lazzarini accused Israel of violating international law and said, “the world must act to hold the perpetrators accountable.” ²⁶

Lazarrini also accused Israel of rounding up UNRWA employees, torture, and mistreatment, in addition to firing bullets at World Food Program and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) vehicles and harassing UNRWA employees at Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank including East Jerusalem. ²⁶

Leadership

Philippe Lazzarini is the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. A Swiss national, ²⁷ Lazzarini is a graduate of the University of Neuchatel and of the University of Lausanne. Prior to his position at UNRWA, Lazzarini had over 30 years of professional experience, including in leadership positions with the United Nations, the private sector, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). He has extensive experience in humanitarian assistance and international coordination in conflict and post-conflict areas at senior levels, including through his assignment to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia as deputy special representative, resident, and humanitarian coordinator, from 2013 to 2015. He joined the United Nations in Iraq in 2003 and since then has held several senior positions, both at headquarters in New York, and in Angola, Somalia, and the Palestinian territories. Prior to joining the United Nations, he worked with Union Bancaire Privée in Geneva as head of the marketing department. From 1989 to 1999, Lazzarini worked with the ICRC as the deputy head of communications in Geneva, head of delegation in Rwanda, Angola, and Sarajevo, and as a delegate in Southern Sudan, Jordan, Gaza, and Beirut. He started his professional career in 1987 as an economist with the Canton of Bern in Switzerland. ⁶

Lazzarini has been an ardent advocate of a ceasefire in Gaza. In 2023, he published op-eds in the Washington Post, The Guardian, the Los Angeles Times, and the Financial Times, each calling for an end to the conflict and placing the blame for the Palestinian humanitarian crisis on Israel. ^{28 29 30 31}

Finances

In 2023, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency reported that the resource mobilization efforts yielded a total pledged amount of approximately $1,460,000,000, including United Nations Secretariat regular budget support for international staff. Most of UNRWA’s financial support comes from a few United Nations member states; the top contributors for the 2023 fiscal year were the United States, Germany, France, Sweden, and Japan and the European Union. ³²

Although it does not provide a concrete number for annual expenses, UNRWA reported the following breakdown for its 2020 Program Budget which was approximately $806,000,000: 58 percent went to education; 15 percent went to refugee health; 13 percent went to support services; 6 percent went to relief and social services; and 4 percent went to infrastructure and camp improvement. ³³

Following allegations that UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 terrorist attack against Israel, 19 countries suspended their funding of UNRWA. ²³

Critics of UNRWA have noted that its budget now exceeds $1 billion per year, while the general United Nations budget is only $3 billion. Although more than 100 million people have been displaced in today’s world, UNRWA’s staff is approximately twice the size of UNHCR’s, which manages refugee crises for the rest of the world. Compared to UNHCR, UNRWA has a significantly higher budget per person it serves. ¹⁵

1. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.unrwa.org/
2. Lazzarini, Philippe. “UNRWA: Stop Israel’s Violent Campaign Against Us.” United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. June 30, 2024. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/unrwa-stop-israel%E2%80%99s-violent-campaign-against-us
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15. Mariaschin, Daniel, and Michaels, David. “At the UN, Special Treatment for Palestinians Shouldn’t Be Automatic.” Newsweek. January 26, 2023. Accessed November 4, 2024.  https://www.newsweek.com/un-special-treatment-palestinians-shouldnt-automatic-opinion-1776551
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17. Romirowsky, Asaf. “How UNRWA Supports Hamas.” Jewish Policy Center. 2007. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/2007/08/31/how-unrwa-supports-hamas/
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21. Ragson, Adam. “UN employee resigns amid allegations he was elected to Hamas leadership.” The Jerusalem Post. April 22, 2017. Accessed November 4, 2024.  https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/UN-employee-resigns-amid-allegations-he-was-elected-to-Hamas-leadership-488653
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26. Lazzarini, Philipe. “UNRWA: Stop Israel’s Violent Campaign Against Us.” United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. June 30, 2024. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/unrwa-stop-israel%E2%80%99s-violent-campaign-against-us
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28. Lazzarini, Philippe. “The carnage must stop. Time for a ceasefire in Gaza.” The Washington Post. November 8, 2023. Accessed November 4, 2024.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/08/gaza-cease-fire-forced-displacement-israel/
29. Lazzarini, Philippe. “I run the UN agency for Palestine refugees. History will judge us all if there is no ceasefire in Gaza.” The Guardian. October 26, 2023. Accessed November 4, 2024.  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/26/i-run-the-un-agency-for-palestine-refugees-history-will-judge-us-all-if-there-is-no-ceasefire-in-gaza
30. Lazzarini, Philippe. “Opinion: We must prevent humanitarian aid from being used as an instrument of war.” The Los Angeles Times. December 9, 2023. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-12-09/israel-gaza-hamas-united-nations-humanitarian-relief
31. https://www.ft.com/content/533c607f-84ba-4a13-8220-2a1f06d901f5
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33. How We Spend Funds. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.unrwa.org/how-you-can-help/how-we-spend-funds