A federal lawsuit was filed Friday accusing a U.S. nonprofit that provides funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine in the Near East, or UNRWA, of materially supporting terrorism.
The lawsuit was filed at U.S. District Court in Delaware by the National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC) against UNRWA USA on behalf of 10 survivors of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Iranian-backed Hamas in southern Israel that resulted in the massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 250 others. The plaintiffs include American and Israeli citizens and those with dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship.
In January, 12 UNRWA workers were accused of participating in the Oct. 7 attack, prompting the U.N. to launch an independent review of the organization. On Monday, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a video of two additional UNRWA members who participated in the Oct. 7 attack, The Times of Israel reported, and IDF intelligence revealed about 450 terror operatives in Gaza, mostly Hamas members, are also employed by UNRWA.
"Charities generally do good work which is why they often fly under the radar," Mark Goldstein, CEO of NJAC, said in a news release obtained by Newsmax. "But on some very rare occasions, a so-called 'charity' is really a front to help finance an international terrorist plot that kills thousands of innocent people. This case involves one of those rare occasions, and that so-called charity — UNRWA USA — must be held accountable."
According to the complaint, also obtained by Newsmax, the U.S. nonprofit provided UNRWA with more than $600,000 for education and training at UNRWA schools in 2022. But it alleged that the UNRWA's education system "glorifies and teaches terrorism," providing examples that include UNRWA teachers in a 3,000-member staff Telegram group cheering and celebrating Hamas' terrorist attack "while at the same time asking when their UNRWA salaries will be paid."
"Defendant's funding of the UNRWA education system not only helps to glorify and promote terrorism, but it also pays the salaries of UNRWA school teachers who openly align themselves with Hamas," the lawsuit read.
Among the plaintiffs is Lishay Lavi, an Israeli citizen whose husband, Omri Miran, was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 and is still being held captive; and Noach Newman, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen whose brother David Yair Shalom Newman, also a dual citizen, was murdered at the Nova music festival.
The lawsuit also claims that long before Oct. 7, U.S. lawmakers knew of UNRWA's ties to terrorism, including Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who in April joined 20 other senators in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for the defunding of UNRWA until the organization was reformed.
In late January, the U.S. — the largest donor to UNRWA, reportedly providing $422 million alone in 2023 — suspended any additional funding until the U.N. completes an investigation.
Newsmax reached out to UNRWA USA for comment.
In a news release Jan. 29, the organization said it was "horrified by the recent allegations against 12 UNRWA staff members."
"For our part, UNRWA USA will continue its tireless efforts to help Palestine refugees in desperate need in Gaza," the group said. "The need for international aid is more urgent than ever, and UNRWA has a critical role to play in providing it.
"Rather than pulling back on aid to UNRWA, redoubling aid efforts, to ensure UNRWA can continue and increase its vital humanitarian support in Gaza, is more urgent than ever."