New Senate funding bill would send $14 billion to Israel and cut all funding to UNRWA

The Senate’s new immigration and foreign aid bill would block U.S. funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The national security supplemental would provide $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine, $14 billion to Israel, and $20 billion for border security.

Last month, the State Department announced that it was pausing additional funding to the organization after the Israeli government accused multiple workers of being involved in the October 7 Hamas attack. The administration has downplayed that decision, pointing out that it already provided nearly all the funding allocated by congress.

However, at Monday’s briefing State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel indicated that the administration would cut funding if the bill passed.

“Obviously there’s text in this pending legislation that would preclude us from [resuming funding],” Patel told reporters. “We are an administration that follows the law. That being said, in this pending legislation there is $10 billion for humanitarian assistance of which $1.4 is for humanitarian aid for Gaza.”

“We also believe, even prior to this conversation about the supplemental, we have, as I told Simon, been unambiguous, in my opinion, about the critical work that UNRWA does, not just in Gaza but in other parts of the region as well,” he continued. “We think that the work they do is critical. They are an important vehicle for getting humanitarian aid to those who need it. And we’re going to continue to work with donor countries and UNRWA, as well as – as they work through this investigation and work through this internal matter that they’re dealing with, but also broadly to ensure that the Palestinian civilians that rely on this kind of work are able to get it.”

Patel also said The White House would “redirect funding for UNRWA to other partners to provide assistance in Gaza” if needed.

The UNRWA component of the bill was pushed by 21 Republican Senators led by Jim Risch (R-ID), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Tim Scott (R-SC).

“Let us be crystal clear: last week’s revelation that UNRWA staff members played a part in the October 7 attacks is not an example of a few bad apples acting out of turn,” the senators wrote in a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “Instead, it is emblematic of an organization where no investigation or subsequent corrective measures will ever be enough to cure the rot that is so clearly endemic to its mission.”

“The United States must permanently stop all contributions to UNRWA,” they continued. “Senate Republicans have introduced several bills this Congress to do just that, including the UNRWA Accountability and Transparency Act. As we consider ways to provide necessary assistance to Israel in its fight against Hamas terrorists, we request that any supplemental package include an immediate and permanent prohibition against U.S. contributions to UNRWA.”

Middle East Democracy Center Advocacy Director Seth Binder noted that multiple Democrats pushed for provisions supporting the two-state solution and Israeli compliance with international law, but these measures didn’t make it into the text.

In a Twitter thread, Foundation for Middle East Peace president Lara Friedman broke down the details of the supplemental. “Bottom line messages of the bill from Senate leaders: – zero interest/concern for what Israel does w/ US weapons, or intends w/ respect to Gaza, two-state solution, etc – All hail King Bibi! – It’s always good politics to sh*t on Palestinians, even when they’re dying of starvation,” she concluded.

The bill is not expected to make it through the House, as House Speaker Mike Johnson has declared it is “dead on arrival” due to provisions on the U.S./Mexico border. However, Republicans are moving forward with a standalone bill that provides Israel with $17.6 billion for additional munitions and no aid for Palestinians.

Although the administration supports the current Senate bill, Biden has indicated that he would veto a standalone effort. “The Administration spent months working with a bipartisan group of Senators to reach a national security agreement that secures the border and provides support for the people of Ukraine and Israel, while also providing much-needed humanitarian assistance to civilians affected by conflicts around the world,” wrote The White House in a public statement. “Instead of working in good faith to address the most pressing national security challenges, this bill is another cynical political maneuver…The security of Israel should be sacred, not a political game.”

This week, British Channel 4 reported that they have combed over a confidential Israeli document alleging that UNWRA workers participated in the October 7 attack. The outlet says the document “provides no evidence to support its explosive new claim.”