Australia has released aid to a United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees following a security advisory following allegations that some staff had helped attack Israel.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong also announced another $6 million in aid to the Gaza Strip after expressing disgust at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave.
The foreign minister froze funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in January following accusations from Israel that some of its staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong also announced another $6 million in aid to the Gaza Strip after expressing disgust at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave.
A small number of the agency’s staff were fired following the allegations.
The allegations warranted an immediate and appropriate response, Senator Wong said as she defended the decision to freeze aid.
“The Australian Government must, in light of such allegations, ensure that we go through the process we have in place to reassure Australians that we can ensure funding goes to the right people and that is what we have done she said on Friday.
“The best available current advice from Australian Government agencies and lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist organization.”
Israel wanted the UN agency dissolved and replaced after it was accused of links to Hamas, a terrorist organization recognized by Australia.
The decision was rejected by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the Australian Jewish Association, which argued there was a risk of Australian money being wasted or used by Hamas.
Israel provided only some of the evidence it relied on to allege that UNRWA personnel participated in the Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv said killed 1,200 Israelis and took more than 200 hostages.
That was being considered by Australia, the foreign minister said, and the government has also sought advice from security services and government lawyers.
“It is a primary consideration in restoring funding to ensure that Australian funding is used appropriately … it is also a primary consideration to recognize that we have children and families who are going hungry,” she said.
A Palestinian holds pieces of pasta at the scene of an Israeli attack on an aid warehouse, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas
The $6 million disbursement to UNRWA will come as Australia finalizes a new funding agreement with the agency, which includes stronger oversight and safeguards, including assurances that staff will remain neutral.
The safeguards allowed funding to resume, but there would be no tolerance for members of terrorist organizations working for UNRWA, Senator Wong said.
This move follows the restoration of funding from partners such as Canada, Sweden and the European Commission.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said Australia should have waited for the US to decide on funding for the recovery.
“If UNRWA funding was to be restored, this should have happened at the end of the independent analysis and verification work carried out by the United Nations,” he said.
“This should only be done in consultation with a key partner like the United States, which has the weight and influence to ensure that the conditions are applied and that verification processes take place.”
Palestinian envoy to Australia Izzat Abdulhadi welcomed the funding but also called on Australia to move ahead with recognizing Palestine as a state after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out a two-state solution.
Australia will also provide an additional $4 million to UNICEF to provide urgent services, and $2 million to a UN coordinator to expand humanitarian access to Gaza.
In addition, a C-17A Globemaster aircraft will deliver 140 aerial delivery parachutes to assist Jordan and the United Arab Emirates in landing Gaza.
The additional funding brings Australia’s total humanitarian assistance to Gaza to $52.5 million.
More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel retaliated against Hamas’ attack on October 7, according to the local health ministry.
The Foreign Secretary also expressed concern that Palestinians fleeing Gaza could have their Australian visas revoked while en route.
The vast majority of Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members seeking to leave the besieged strip had been helped, she said.
“All visa applicants undergo security checks and are subject to ongoing security assessments,” she said.