The US Must End Aid to Terror Groups

As we mark the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-orchestrated brutality against Israel, focus has rightfully been on mourning the victims and remembering the hostages still held in Gaza.

At the same time, the world needs to remember that October 7th also reflects the total failure of the decades-long humanitarian project in Gaza. Among the perpetrators of these evil, murderous acts were individuals on the UN payroll — specifically at least 12 UNRWA employees. In addition, hundreds of others were linked to and held high positions in Hamas and other terror groups. (In 2009, the Jerusalem Post reported that Hamas won the teacher’s union election for at UN-run schools in Gaza.)

UNRWA is just the most egregious example of how the absence of oversight of over $1 billion in humanitarian aid allowed it to be exploited for hate and violence. For decades, NGOs and UN agencies have been bolstering terrorists and terrorism, while also promoting hate and incitement. (READ MORE: Cut Off the UNRWA)

This situation, unfortunately, continues on the ground in Gaza, and risks becoming worse in other countries, including Yemen and Lebanon, from which Iran-backed terrorist groups are attacking Israel and U.S. assets in the region.

In order to ensure “never again” —  in Israel or elsewhere — the U.S. government needs to take swift and decisive action to verify that taxpayer funds do not enable supposedly humanitarian actors directly involved with terror groups and who fuel conflict.

For over 15 years, the Palestinian humanitarian aid complex has been inseparable from Hamas, which controlled government services in Gaza, and other designated terrorist organizations, which are deeply entrenched in civil society.

In recent years, aid provided to the Palestinian Authority was indirectly supporting families of known terrorists; funds from USAID were granted to NGOs linked with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a US-recognized terror organization; the Palestinian Authority, which receives U.S. and other foreign aid money, has funded schools in the West Bank and Gaza named after notorious terrorists; and USAID-funded Palestinian NGOs were introducing children to convicted terrorists, effectively cultivating a culture of extremism. These are just a few examples resulting from the lack of oversight.

In addition, many powerful aid NGOs contribute to false narratives that promote the agendas of terror groups and their allies. NGOs and aid organizations are actively lobbying for show trials against Israel, including in the International Court of Justice, led by South Africa. The same groups are also involved in the International Criminal Court, where the Prosecutor’s Office is pursuing arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials.

These courts then cite many of the false claims from the NGOs and UN agencies as evidence. Similarly, the specious accusations drive arms embargoes against Israel by individual countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada.

An identical pattern of biased, partial, and false narratives from NGOs has already emerged regarding Lebanon to protect Hezbollah, which is also designated as a terror group. For example, as Israel intensified its strikes against Hezbollah missiles and terror leaders, Oxfam International, an NGO which claims to fight poverty, called for the “international community” to “condemn this escalation and take bold action to stop it now.”

Without mentioning the Iranian proxy army, Oxfam’s propaganda stated that Israel is acting “with impunity, and it must be held to account for its actions in both Lebanon and Gaza.” This is in sharp contrast to the silence of Oxfam (and other NGOs) for more than 11 months when Hezbollah targeted Israelis with missiles, drones, and rockets, forcing tens of thousands of civilians from their homes. Oxfam’s hypocrisy is blatantly obvious and should disqualify them from receiving taxpayer aid funds.

As in Gaza, aid distribution in Lebanon is highly irresponsible, at minimum. NGOs, such as the Norwegian Refugee Council — which receives, among other things, U.S. funding — have been disbursing cash payments throughout southern Lebanon, with unknown mechanisms in place to ensure that the funds are not being diverted to Hezbollah.

For all of these reasons and more, the need to strengthen government oversight and accountability mechanisms for foreign aid is urgent, starting with stricter vetting for all recipients, including UN agencies and NGOs. This process must be carried out independently, in contrast to the current practice of relying on self-reporting.

Legislative measures are also central in tightening oversight on foreign aid distribution. Among the bills circulating in Congress, the “Stop Support for UNRWA Act of 2024” — currently awaiting a vote in the House of Representatives — mandates that before taxpayer funds can be awarded to any other local organizations, the Secretary of State must verify that these partners do not promote, endorse, or affiliate with entities or individuals that advocate violence, terrorism, or antisemitism. (READ MORE: United Nations Relief and Works Agency Is Hamas)

In addition, loopholes that allow NGOs and UN agencies to operate without consequences for supporting terror must be closed. For example, the U.S. should reject — not facilitate — civil immunity for U.N. officials suspected of war crimes.

Glaring loopholes also abound in U.S. aid policy to Yemen, which has received more than $5.5 billion in taxpayer funded assistance since 2015. Even as the U.S. has restored some sanctions against the Houthis, the Iran-backed terror group that controls parts of Yemen has been using areas they control to launch attacks on ships in the Red Sea. U.S.-funded NGOs make payments to Houthi officials and institutions, classified as taxes and administrative fees. Absurdly, NGOs are permitted to coordinate with Houthi terrorists regarding the distribution of aid.

The fact that terror groups also claim to provide social services, or control territory or institutions, does not justify U.S. funding to NGOs and UN bodies. Such policies empower and justify terror groups, and puts the world at risk of more Oct. 7 style atrocities.

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