Australia “ignored warnings” about the involvement of United Nations aid workers in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and should not restore funding until concerns are alleviated, the Coalition says.
On the weekend, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong confirmed Australia would join the US, the UK and others in pausing funding for the agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) amid an investigation into Israel’s claims 12 employees were involved in the attacks.
In announcing the decision on Saturday, Senator Wong said Australia was deeply concerned about the allegations but recognised the “vital, lifesaving work” the agency had performed in Gaza.
“Australia will continue to support the people of Gaza and work to provide humanitarian assistance. We reiterate our calls for civilians to be protected and for humanitarian access,” she said.
The United Nations has called on the member states to resume funding, but at home, Coalition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said Labor had let Australians down by not acting sooner.
“The Albanese government has questions to answer over why they ignored warnings from the Australian Jewish community and others that were provided last year about the potential involvement of UNRWA staff,” Senator Birmingham said.
“Not only did they ignore those warnings, but in fact they increased funding to UNRWA following the receipt of those warnings, rather than looking for absolutely fail-safe mechanisms to provide the humanitarian assistance that of course people in Gaza need and deserve for innocent civilians.”
Reports emerged on Monday that Jewish leaders last month wrote to Senator Wong and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asking them to halt funding because of “mounting evidence” workers were involved in the attacks.
Just a few weeks later, Australia increased its commitment to the agency by $6m.
Senator Wong met with the head of UNRWA during her recent visit to the Middle East.
Senator Birmingham called on the government to give Australians assurances that due diligence had been done before the decision was made to resume funding.
“What guarantees and assurances did the Australian government get before providing the additional funding, rather than looking at the Red Cross or indeed many other non-government organisations?” he said.
In the wake of allegations, the agency has terminated the contracts of some staff members in the hope doing so would encourage countries to resume funding amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalised,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.
Former UNRWA chief spokesman Chris Gunness described the decision to pause funding as “disproportionate” and “punitive” and said it would have appalling implications.
“No one should take any measures to restrict humanitarian aid,” he told ABC News.
“What does it say about those countries’ commitment to the international order, within, really, hours of the highest judicial organ of the United Nations calling for aid to go through, here we have some of the leading donors of UNRWA actually suspending aid. That speaks volumes in my mind.“
Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly, one of two Muslim ministers in the Albanese government, earlier expressed her concerns about the sudden funding blackhole in supporting Palestinians amid the ongoing war.
“I’d like (the pause in aid) to be as short as possible,” she said.
“I think it’s pretty clear that one of the most vital services for people in Gaza and in the West Bank is provided by UNWRA.
“Given that they are fairly serious allegations, I understand that UNRWA is currently investigating and I hope those investigations are swift and we can restore the funding as soon as those investigations are done.”
The UN Special Rapporteur of Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, said defending UNRWA at this “critical time” was in overt defiance of the International Court of Justice’s order to allow effective humanitarian assistance “to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in Gaza”.
“This will entail legal responsibilities or the demise of the international legal system,” she said.