US congressional leaders propose spending bill that would cut UNRWA funding
Al Jazeera
Biden-backed, bipartisan legislation to avoid government shutdown would ban aid for UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
Washington, DC – Congressional leaders in the United States have proposed a spending bill that would avert a government shutdown but ban funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Endorsed by the top Republican and Democratic legislators in the House and the Senate, the $1.2 trillion bill released Thursday morning would ensure continuous funding for large swaths of the US federal government, including the Departments of State and Defense.
It is not uncommon for US legislators to use so-called “must pass” bills to advance their policy priorities and UNRWA has been in the crosshairs of pro-Israel members of Congress for years.
Israel has accused the UN agency, which provides vital services to millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza and across the Middle East, of links to Hamas, although with scant evidence.
The funding bill says US funds “may not be used for a contribution, grant, or other payment” to UNRWA until March 2025.
