Canada and Australia, Following the U.S., Suspend Funding to UNRWA

Canada and Australia have joined the United States in a temporary suspension of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), following the agency's dismissal of dozens of employees whom Israel accused of involvement in the October 7 attacks. Canada and Australia announced late Friday that they would "temporarily halt sending funds to UNRWA." Major donors, including Germany, France, and the European Union, expressed concern but did not immediately announce a suspension of their funding. The United States was the largest donor by a wide margin, having provided the agency with several hundred million dollars in 2023 and $340 million in 2022. Canada and Australia ranked as the eleventh and sixteenth largest donors to UNRWA in 2022. Earlier in the week, Israel accused the United Nations of having employees who assisted in planning and participating in the cross-border attack that Israel claims resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 240 hostages.