Columbia Standard

U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) have called for the passage of the Stop Support for Hamas Act, which would impose a permanent ban on U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This call comes following the announcement that UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7th.

Senator Scott, who has consistently advocated for ending U.S. funding of UNRWA due to its history of antisemitism, expressed his horror at the news. He stated, "Allegations that UNRWA staff played a role in attacking and kidnapping Israelis take this to a horrifying new level. This organization should never receive another penny of U.S. funding."

Senator Ricketts echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that UNRWA is an irredeemable organization that plays a critical role in Hamas's terrorist infrastructure. He criticized the decision by the Biden administration to reverse the Trump administration's cut-off of U.S. support for UNRWA, stating, "The State Department's decision today to pause additional funding is not enough. We must pass the Stop Support for Hamas Act to end U.S. funding for UNRWA once and for all."

The Stop Support for Hamas Act aims to address concerns about UNRWA's connections to Hamas by permanently cutting off U.S. funding for the organization. The bill seeks to ensure that American taxpayer dollars are not being used to support a group that is involved in terrorist activities.

The senators' call for a permanent ban on U.S. funding for UNRWA highlights the need for a thorough examination of the organization's actions and associations. The bill proposed by Senators Scott and Ricketts is an important step in holding UNRWA accountable and ensuring that U.S. taxpayer dollars are not supporting terrorist activities.

For more information about the Stop Support for Hamas Act, please visit the provided link.