Reuters has reported that officials in former U.S President Donald Trump’s administration are engaged in advanced discussions about imposing “terrorism-related sanctions” on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). According to two sources familiar with the matter, the potential move “raises serious legal and humanitarian concerns within the U.S State Department.”
The Trump administration has accused the agency of maintaining ties to Hamas, allegations UNRWA has repeatedly and vehemently denied.
It remains unclear whether the discussions focus on sanctioning the entire agency or targeting specific UNRWA officials or operations. Reuters noted that “U.S. officials do not appear to have settled on the specific type of sanctions they might impose.”
One option reportedly under review by State Department officials is designating UNRWA a “foreign terrorist organization”—a step that would severely isolate the agency financially. However, it is uncertain whether this measure is still under serious consideration.
UNRWA has provided essential support to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East for more than seven decades.
The report follows the Israeli occupation’s implementation of a decision, effective January 30, to sever ties with the agency. Under this decision, Israel has prohibited UNRWA from operating in the occupied Palestinian territories and suspended all communication between the agency and Israeli officials.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)
