Canada to resume financial support to a surrogate for terrorist organizations

The Globe and Mail has recently reported that “As part of the humanitarian package, the Liberals are expected to provide $15-million in annual funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency(UNRWA).”

In January 2010, the Conservative government redirected the Canadian funds earmarked to UNRWA to “to specific projects in the Palestinian Authority that will ensure accountability and foster democracy in the PA.” Previously, Canada provided UNRWA with 11 percent of its budget at $10 million (Canadian) annually.

The undersigned wrote in 2014 the following policy paper “UNRWA as a Convenient Surrogate for Terrorists Organizations” for The Center for Near East Policy Research. The paper (to read the full version clickhere) was submitted by David Bedein to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Introduction

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was founded in 1950, with its’ stated goals of providing “education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance” for over 5 million Palestinian refugees. These praiseworthy efforts have improved the lives of countless Palestinians, yet in recent years their efforts have been subverted by the terror organizations that have taken over UNRWA facilities and resources.

Most recently, ample evidence has accumulated during Operation “Protective Edge,” which started on July 8, 2014, linking Palestinian terrorist organizations to UNRWA.

Hamas’ de facto takeover of UNRWA institutions in the Gaza Strip

The UNRWA workers union has been controlled in practice by Hamas for many years. The “Professional List”, headed by senior Hamas activist Suheil Al-Hindi, won a landslide victory in the elections for the UNRWA workers union held in September 2012.

In the elections, in which nearly 11,500 employees of UNRWA voted, the “Professional List” won all 11 seats allocated to the teachers’ sector, 6 of 7 seats in the employees’ sector and 8 out of 9 seats in the service sector.

The “Al-Karama (Honor) List,” affiliated with the Islamic Jihad organization, also participated in the elections, whereas the Fatah movement chose to boycott them, claiming that Hamas controls the UNRWA workers union and limits its activities.

The 2012 workers union elections were not the first ones to be won by Hamas. They also won the 2009 elections. The bloc affiliated with Hamas also won the previous election for the UNRWA workers union by an overwhelming majority. Lists affiliated with Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PLO (uniting representatives of the PFLP, Fatah and the People’s Party) and the independents took part in the 2009 elections. 17 representatives of Hamas (63%), four from the PFLP, four from Fatah, one from the People’s Party and one from the independents were elected to the union, which includes 27 members.

The activities of the “Islamic Bloc” in UNRWA schools

“Al-Kutla Al-Islamiya” (the Islamic Bloc) is the official wing of Hamas, which operates in the educational institutions in the Gaza Strip (and in the West Bank), starting from elementary schools, junior high schools (including the management of UNRWA) as well as in high schools, colleges and universities.

The “Islamic Bloc’s” strategy in elementary and middle schools focuses on an attempt to attract the students to the various activities conducted by the organization and which are meant to strengthen ties with the students, their faith in Islam and gradually bring them closer to Hamas ideology until they become activists in the movement and in its’ military wing.

In every school, including schools run by UNRWA, Hamas appoints a representative who heads the “Islamic Bloc’s” branch, and he serves as a liaison for the group and is responsible for enlisting the students to the “Islamic Bloc” and for organizing activities in the school and after school hours