The UK is to review its funding to UNRWA following claims made by freed hostage Emily Damari that she was held by Hamas terrorists at sites belonging to the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees .
Downing Street confirmed that funding to the Palestinian relief agency would be amongst those commitments reviewed against UK taxpayer priorities.
A spokesperson for Keir Starmer said the government would be looking closely at the findings of an UNRWA investigation into “concerning” claims made by Damari that Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, were misusing their facilities.
In a phone call with Starmer last month, Damari alleged that while being held at an Unrwa facility, her captors only provided her with an out-of-date bottle of iodine to treat gunshot wounds in her leg and her left hand, on which she lost two fingers.
Keir Starmer meets UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini.
On Monday, asked about the government’s forthcoming spending review across all departments, a No.10 spokesperson confirmed UNRWA funding was under review as part of the “principle that all government spending should be assessed against taxpayer priorities.”
Asked about moves by the US and Italian government’s, who have stopped their funding to UNRWA, Downing Street said it was “right” that UNRWA investigates “the concerning allegations in relation to Emily Damari.”
The spokesperson added:”We will obviously be looking at the outcome of that.”
In December, the PM had committed an additional £13 million to UNRWA to support vital services for Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and Gaza, following a meeting with Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini.
The previous Conservative government had paused £35 million of funding for UNRWA in office following allegations that members of its staff were linked to Hamas and involved in the October 7 atrocities on Israel.
The agency fired nine staff members in August after an internal investigation found they may have been involved in the Hamas-led attack.
Labour restored funding on the basis that the agency had carried out a thorough review of its operations and allegations that employees were linked to Hamas.
In a statement last July, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:”We are lifting the pause on UK funding to UNRWA.
“The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is devastating and no other agency can get aid into Gaza at the scale needed.”
But Chancellor Rachel Reeves has subsequently committed to a second part of her spending review and Plan for Change.
Reeves has said:”All government departments will be expected to find savings and efficiencies in their budgets, in a push to drive out waste in the public sector and ensure all funding is focused on the government’s priorities.”
Responding to the review into UNRWA funding, Phil Rosenberg, Board of Deputies president said:”This is a welcome development. The Board has been raising concerns about funding to UNRWA with government in recent weeks. Particularly important in light of the testimony of Emily Damari.”
