GOP Rep. Smith moves to ban US funding for UN agency aiding Palestine

New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith this week introduced legislation to permanently block U.S. funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) amid reports that some of its staff participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas raid on Israel.

The raid saw Hamas forces storm border towns, seize hostages, and kill more than 1,200 people. The Israel Defense Forces have since invaded the Gaza Strip in a bid to remove Hamas from power. Reports of UNRWA employee involvement in the raid emerged last week.

Though the U.S. temporarily paused funding to the agency, Smith's legislation, the "Stop Support for UNRWA Act of 2024," would extend that block by banning aid that will "benefit Hamas," The Hill reported. It further would prevent "any voluntary or involuntary contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to any successor or related entity, or to the regular budget of the United Nations for the support of UNRWA or a successor entity."

Upon the administration's imposition of the temporary pause, Smith deemed that effort "a feeble response" and highlighted former President Donald Trump's past suspension of UNRWA funding.

"[W]hat we need is a comprehensive, fact-based approach to UNRWA that stops all funding and conditions future funding on a complete head-to-toe reform and restructuring of UNRWA," he said in a press release.

The conflict has raged on since the October raid, albeit with intermittent humanitarian pauses, and IDF forces remain embroiled in fierce urban warfare with Hamas inside the Gaza Strip.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.