Penny Wong to end pause on Palestinian aid funding
The federal government is set to resume funding for the UNRWA, months after pausing it over allegations of staff involvement in the 7 October attacks.
The Albanese government is set to restore funding for the United Nations provider of aid in Gaza this week, more than a month after the organisation lost hundreds of millions of dollars following Israel’s allegations that some of its staffers participated in the deadly October 7 attacks.
The decision to resume funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) will be welcomed by some Labor MPs who have been angered by the move, but is almost certain to be opposed by the federal Opposition.
The Australian government paused $6 million in additional funding for UNRWA on January 27, following the allegations that 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the attack which killed 1200 Israelies. UNRWA fired the employees and an investigation was launched. Australia was one of 16 countries which suspended funding.
Multiple sources within the government and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who were not authorised to comment publicly, told Capital Brief that Foreign Minister Penny Wong is planning to announce that funding will be resumed in the coming days.
