The federal government sent $122 million to the United Nations’ Palestinian refugee aid agency UNRWA since October — before reports about its employees’ involvement in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack prompted the State Department to temporarily pause funding.
“In FY 2024, prior to the current pause in new funding, the US government provided nearly $122 million to UNRWA to address the needs of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria,” a State Department spokesperson told The Post.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that $51 million in fiscal year 2024 funds had been earmarked for assistance with providing food, water, sanitation, shelter, protection, hygiene and other health needs in the West Bank and Gaza, according to a Jan. 16 fact sheet.
It’s unclear for what humanitarian work other funds had been approved, but the State Department confirmed in a Jan. 30 briefing that just $300,000 remained of the appropriated funds for 2024.
“Now that we see the folly of supporting the Hamas-tied UN agency, Joe Biden wanted the world to think he had a change of heart by announcing he will pause the funding on January 26,” Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) told The Post. “But in reality, he waited just long enough to complete the allocation of more than $121 million of American taxpayer money to UNRWA just two days prior. This is not how your tax dollars should be used.”
Demand it ALL Back !!! $$$