Canadian government will resume funding to United Nations relief agency for Palestinians: source

The federal government is resuming funding to UNRWA, the United Nations relief agency for Palestinians, CBC News has learned.

In addition to going ahead with a scheduled payment in April of $25 million, Canada’s international development minister also intends to announce new funding, according to a senior government official.

The Canadian government announced a pause on funding in January after Israel alleged that 12 employees of UNRWA were involved in some capacity in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and the affiliated group Islamic Jihad.

UNRWA moved quickly to fire the 12 staff members on Jan. 26, as soon as Israel made its allegations.

The government source says Canadian officials have now seen a copy of the interim report by the United Nations examining the allegations. Based on that information, the Canadian government is comfortable resuming funding, the source said.

CBC News is not naming the source because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the decision.

Canada announced the suspension of funding within hours of a similar announcement by the U.S. — but Canada’s next regular payment to the organization was not due until April.

A Palestinian man carries flour bags distributed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) during a temporary truce between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip in November. (Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)

CBC News reported last month that Canada had not seen evidence backing up the allegations against the employees before making the decision.

International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen is scheduled to officially announce the move at a news conference Wednesday morning.

The allegations from Israel as well as Canada’s decision to pause funding ratcheted up the political debate around UNRWA in Canada’s Parliament.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused the agency of being a “terrorist organization” and promised to cut funding if he becomes prime minister.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said that while he supported investigating the allegations, the move to pause funding was the wrong choice because it would be punishing desperate people who rely on the agency.

Requests for funding to be restored

Senior United Nations officials have been asking for the funding to be restored.

“We regret the halting of that funding,” said Martin Griffiths, UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief co-ordinator, in an interview Tuesday with CBC’s The National.

He pointed to two investigations underway into the Israeli government’s allegations, saying he hoped they would provide sufficient assurance to Canada and other countries to keep funding UNRWA.

“We’re necessary. We’re doing what I think is almost the most difficult humanitarian operation,” he said, pointing out that more than 150 staff members have been killed in Gaza.

The Israeli government has long complained about UNRWA and has sought to have the agency defunded.

It accuses UNRWA of perpetuating a Palestinian refugee crisis, allowing members of armed groups to infiltrate it and use its facilities, and allowing its schools to indoctrinate Palestinian children in an ideology of armed resistance to Israel.

UNRWA says it makes great efforts to avoid infiltration by armed groups and works to educate its employees about the importance of neutrality.