Canada's Restoration of Funding to UN Relief and Works Agency
Following calls in demonstrations, petitions and letters written by Canadians from coast to coast to coast and demands of unions, humanitarian and other organizations, Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development announced on March 8 that "Canada will be lifting its temporary pause on funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)." The announcement of the lifting of the suspension of funding was made at a press conference in Mississauga and in a press release from Global Affairs Canada the same day.
Taking its cue
from the U.S., Canada announced its decision to
suspend funding for UNRWA on January 26, the same day the
International
Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its ruling that all signatories to
the
UN Convention Against Genocide must do everything to prevent
Israel
committing genocide and
must demand the prompt delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The
government claimed it was acting on allegations by Israel that
12 of
the 30,000 UNRWA staff were involved in the Al Aqsa Flood
Operation of
October 7, 2023. At that time and since Canada has received no
evidence
to support those
allegations. Four days later, on January 30, Global Affairs
Canada
announced $40 million in funding to other agencies including the
World
Food Program, UNICEF, the UN Population Fund, the World Health
Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the
UN
Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs, all of which depend on the UNRWA
infrastructure
in Gaza, as well as an additional $5 million which would be
allocated
toward "experienced Canadian non-governmental organization
partners."
It provided no details.
The defunding of UNRWA has been condemned the world over as a violation of international law, including the January 26 ruling of the ICJ and a cruel contribution to the denial of food, water, medicine and all the necessities of life for the people of Gaza.
On March 4 the UN General Assembly discussed the situation in Gaza and the critical work of UNRWA and held what UN News called a heated debate on the U.S. veto of the latest Security Council draft resolution calling for a ceasefire. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini spoke during the General Assembly debate and later addressed a press conference. He said that on January 18 he was informed by Israeli authorities that 12 of the 30,000 UNRWA staff were allegedly involved in the Al Aqsa Flood Operation. He said "no further information has been provided to me since that day, but the gravity of the allegations necessitated swift action" and that he had terminated the contracts of the staff concerned while there was an ongoing investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS). UN News reported that Lazzarini told the press that "We are in a situation where there is a political decision to eliminate UNRWA," citing the Israeli Prime Minister's announcement that there is 'no place' for UNRWA in Gaza as well as attempts to block and evict staff from its premises with the aim to dismantle the agency.'" He also pointed out that attempts to eliminate UNRWA are not just based on the behaviour of some of its staff, but is politically driven "to eliminate the status of refugees."
In an interview with CBC Radio's The House which aired on March 9, Canada's Ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae said that this decision should not be interpreted as an "exoneration" of UNRWA. He admitted that the UN investigation into allegations that some UNRWA staff in Gaza were involved in the Al Aqsa Flood operation has not been able to produce more than a partial report. He said, "The [UN] Secretary General wrote to the government of Israel at the end of January asking for full cooperation with this UN investigation team and, to this point, the Israeli government has not shared any detailed information with respect to the original allegations of the 12 employees. We decided that this is taking a very long time. We can't wait now because of the situation on the ground. Children are starving. People are dying. There is not enough food getting in. That must be the priority for everybody, including Israel."
Thus Canada maintains its shameful support for Israel's war of genocide against the Palestinian people by joining in the attacks on UNRWA, undermining the authority and work of the UN itself and continuing to send arms to Israel while shedding crocodile tears about the children starving in Gaza for which it refuses to hold Israel to account.
(With files from CBC, UN News)
This article was published in
Volume 54
Number 17 - March 12, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS54174.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca