In recent weeks, The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), announced it may have to stop their humanitarian aid operations. Amid a humanitarian crisis, UNRWA is at risk of losing over $665 million dollars in donations.

This came after many countries pulled their funding from the agency amid allegations by Israel that 12 UNRWA staff members were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack.

The United States, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia and Finland have either suspended or are reviewing their donations to UNRWA.

At the same time, the United States Senate just passed a $95 billion package with aid for Ukraine and Israel.

Why is the United States pouring billions of dollars into Israel’s military operations, and pulling millions out of UNRWA? We need funding for humanitarian aid, not weapons.

Phyllis Bennis is a Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and is an expert on the war economy. In this bonus conversation, Phyllis and Laura unpack the fate of UNRWA and discuss the United States’ support for Israel’s genocide of Palestinians.

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Executive Producer: Laura Flanders
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