Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has vehemently denied allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) collaborated with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, calling the accusations "flat-out lies." In an interview on CBS News's "Face the Nation," Van Hollen argued that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is using these claims to justify his long-standing goal of eliminating the U.N. agency.
The allegations against UNRWA surfaced earlier this year when Israel claimed that 12 of the agency's employees were involved in Hamas's deadly October 7 attack on southern Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of more than 240 hostages. Despite the lack of substantial evidence to support these claims, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that "serious action" was taken, including the termination of the alleged members' contracts.
Van Hollen, however, maintains that the accusations are baseless, pointing out that the person in charge of UNRWA's operations on the ground in Gaza is a 20-year U.S. Army veteran. "You can be sure he's not in cahoots with Hamas," the senator asserted. He further suggested that Netanyahu's opposition to UNRWA stems from his desire to undermine the Palestinian people's hopes for a homeland of their own and his opposition to a two-state solution.
The allegations against UNRWA have led several nations, including the United States, to pause their funding to the agency. Republicans in Congress have intensified calls to block further funding, while Democrats have acknowledged the severity of the accusations while emphasizing that they apply to a small fraction of UNRWA's 30,000-plus employees.
Van Hollen warned of the dire consequences of cutting UNRWA funding in Gaza, which has been devastated by Israel's bombardment following the October 7 attacks. "If you get rid of UNRWA in Gaza today, it is the primary distribution system for food and aid," he said. "So if you cut off funding for UNRWA and Gaza entirely, it means more people will starve, more people won't get the medical assistance they need."
The senator also called for a thorough investigation into the allegations against the 14 UNRWA employees accused of involvement in the Hamas attack, stressing the importance of holding those individuals accountable. However, he cautioned against punishing the 2 million innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza who are already suffering from starvation and hardship.
Last week, Van Hollen joined a group of senators in demanding that President Biden comply with the Foreign Assistance Act and cut off military aid to Israel if Netanyahu's government continues to block humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The senators argue that Section 620I of the act requires the administration to halt the sale and transfer of weapons to Israel under such circumstances.
As the debate over UNRWA's role and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues, the international community faces the challenge of addressing the immediate needs of the Palestinian people while navigating the complex political landscape of the region. The outcome of this ongoing discussion will likely have significant implications for the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the prospects for a lasting peace in the Middle East.
