After the Bedein Center for Near East Policy Research took the new initiative to bring serious grievances against UNRWA to the Trump administration in 2018 the US halted their payments to UNRWA.
But April 7, 2021, UNRWA published a press release about the resumption of UNRWA funding by the Biden administration with promised USD 150 million for the year 2021.
Despite the fact that the “right of return through armed struggle” continues to be a central theme in the PA-UNRWA curriculum, This curriculum has been calling for hatred against Jews more than ever since 2018 and is already indoctrinating the youngest students in UNRWA’s care.
The German Foreign Office published a statement on that same day – Foreign Minister Heiko Maas:
“I welcome the announcement by the US Administration that it will resume its support for UNRWA. In my opinion, this sends the right signal: we will not abandon the people in the region. UNRWA’s work in the Near East has a stabilising influence and is absolutely essential..”
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/maas-unrwa/2452932
In June 2019 the German Foreign Office talked about the unique relationship Germany and Israel have… “The unique nature of German-Israeli relations is a cornerstone of German foreign policy. Germany is an advocate of the State of Israel’s right to exist. As an active partner in the EU, Germany supports peace efforts in the Middle East. In the United Nations, Germany is an advocate for fair treatment of the parties to the Middle East conflict.”
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/israel/228212
Israel’s right to exist is questioned by an UN organization. Her almost 7 million Jewish citizens are under threat by UNRWA’s agenda – and Germany consistently votes for most of the UN resolutions against Israel since Heiko Maas took office as Foreign Minister 3 years ago.
In 2019 the Federal Foreign Office also announced that Germany was going through a reform process with UNRWA. According to the former State Secretary Andreas Michaelis, transparency and the involvement of donor countries in upcoming reforms are the top priorities.
See statement: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/themen/humanitaerehilfe/unrwa-reform/2278340
So that shows some good intentions toward us from the Federal Government.
But for the first time, this year’s Yom haShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) – also on April 7 – the Federal Foreign Office statement of support for funding UNRWA without strings did not show Israel any solidarity at all
When they did so the Federal Government endangering the credibility of any special relationship with Israel.
Not only do they not ask for transparency from UNRWA, Germany is the highest ranking UNRWA donor and last year (2020) financed a PA curriculum with EU 180 million, which is used in the UNRWA educational institutions in East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank and unfortunately calls for violence against Jews.
It is time for the German government to take a clear stand. Germany does not advocate peace with their Middle East foreign policy but fuels anti-Semitism with this instead.
There are good declarations and intent on the part of the German government. But German money is flowing swiftly into the hands of EU-listed terrorist organizations, so we ask:
When will the German government rethink its foreign policy and its responsibility towards Israel and finally let their words be followed with clear action?