Feb 4th Email update - reverse UNRWA funding

RE: Demand urgent reversal the pause of funding to UNRWA

We live in a democracy that values freedom, respect, fairness and equality. These values define and shape who we are as a people and when we support nation states’ committing crimes against humanity it means we can no longer claim that we area people that embodies those values. It is time our elected officials are representative of our voices and values. On day 100 of the genocide in Gaza, the Euro-Med Monitor reported that 31,497 Palestinians have been killed by occupying Israeli forces, meanwhile 61,079 have been injured, some critically with barely a functioning hospital in the entire strip. The bombing has not been targeted as they have claimed but widespread destroying important religious sites, hospitals, universities, schools and homes.

In support of APAN I urgently call on the Australian Government to reinstate its financial support for the agency so it can continue its life-saving and crucial work in Gaza. Australia’s decision to freeze life-saving UNRWA funding based on Israeli allegations of UNRWA staff wrongdoing. UNRWA has taken these concerns seriously and is conducting an internal review. The Australian government has cut this funding whilst also remaining silent and unwilling to take concrete actions to support the orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for Israel to prevent genocide. This is a deep concern for the Australian people.

 At present the civilian deaths in Gaza are on par with the numbers of jews killed during the Holocaust. Australia must join the many other nations in calling for an immediate ceasefire and unfettered access to humanitarian aid, and to end its military support and cooperation with Israel. More than two million Palestinians are dependent on UNRWA as they try to survive genocide. Since October 7 UNRWA schools where people have been hiding including women and children became targets of Israeli attacks- killing more than 150 UNRWA staff.

It is clear the Israeli Government is embarking upon a campaign to smear and obstruct the work of UNRWA, with the state’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz stating that Israel will “work to garner bipartisan support in the US, the EU and other nations globally for this policy aimed at halting UNRWA’s activities in Gaza.”

Australia’s decision to freeze its UNRWA funding flies in the face of the ICJ’s ruling that Israel and parties to the Genocide Convention “take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.” Indeed, this decision likely spells the collapse of the UNRWA and its life-saving work at this critical time, imperilling the very existence of those who depend on it, according to UNRWA’s Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini.

 Now is the time for Australia to correct course, or risk being further implicated in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

I hereby call upon the Australian Government to:

- Reinstate its funding of the UNRWA and support the agency as undertakes its investigation into the allegations levelled at it by the Israeli Government;

- Issue a public statement of support for the ICJ’s authority, its ruling and the obligations set out for Australia as party to the Genocide Code, while reminding Israel that it must also comply with this legally binding order to prevent genocide;

- Demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire to allow unfettered access to humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza;

- Immediately suspend all military aid, assistance and cooperation with Israel;

- Identify and advise all Australian citizens fighting in the Israel Defence Force that their actions may contribute to genocidal acts and other international crimes; and

- Support urgent International Criminal Court investigations of the backlog of cases against Israel for its litany of international law violations.