European Commission to Decide UN Aid Organization’s Fate After Probe

The European Commission is currently considering whether to continue funding UNRWA, the United Nations agency dedicated to Palestinian relief, pending the outcome of an investigation. This follows allegations from Israel claiming involvement of some UNRWA staff in the Hamas-led terror attacks on October 7, leading to the dismissal of several employees.

As of now, the European Commission has stated that no further funds are scheduled for UNRWA until the end of February. The decision to provide future aid will be made after the completion of the investigation and will be based on the actions and decisions of the United Nations.

The European Commission expects UNRWA to comply with an audit conducted by EU-appointed independent external experts. Additionally, the EC anticipates that UNRWA will evaluate its existing control systems to prevent staff involvement in terrorist activities and reinforce its Department of Internal Investigations (DIOS), which plays a crucial role in these matters.

Eric Mamer, the Chief Spokesperson for the Commission, emphasized the gravity of the situation, underscoring the urgency for both investigations and audits to be conducted as swiftly as possible, a sentiment shared by all parties, including UNRWA.