Australia resumes aid to UN Palestinian aid agency

Australian Foreign Minister Wong Yin-hyun said on Friday that the government would resume funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which is providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. In January, Australia joined several Western countries in suspending funding to UNRWA after Israeli intelligence implicated a dozen UNRWA staff members in an October 7 attack by Hamas militants. Australia has also been criticized for canceling the visas of several Palestinians fleeing Gaza’s conflict with Israel. The Australian Greens said the move “shows a lack of humanity”.

Australian Foreign Minister Wong Yin-hyun told reporters in Canberra on Friday that she believed UNRWA “is not a terrorist organization.” She added that the U.N. Palestinian aid agency was crucial in providing help to the people of Gaza who were “on the verge of starvation.”

Earlier this month, Canada and the European Union announced they would also resume funding to UNRWA. The United States, the agency’s largest donor, continues to freeze payments.

Huang told reporters she was satisfied that the allegations following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 were thoroughly investigated.

“The nature of these allegations requires an immediate and appropriate response. The best advice currently available from agencies and Australian Government lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist organization and that the additional safeguards in place are sufficient to protect Australian taxpayers’ funds.”

Australia’s resumption of aid to the agency comes amid criticism for canceling visas for Palestinians fleeing the conflict.

Home Affairs figures show Australia issued 2,273 temporary visas to Palestinians with links to Australia between October 7 and February 6.

During this period, more than 2,400 visitor visas were also issued to people declaring Israeli citizenship.

This visa category does not allow recipients to work or receive education or government-funded healthcare in Australia, but they will not be denied access to emergency rooms.

Refugee and immigration campaigners say the government in Canberra has abruptly canceled the Australian visas of several Palestinians in recent days. The government declined to say how many visas were affected, citing “privacy reasons”.

A cancellation notice obtained by local media said an applicant never really intended to “remain in Australia temporarily”.

Australia’s left-leaning Labor government has defended its actions, insisting they were based on ongoing safety checks. A spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Claire O’Neill said: “The Australian Government reserves the right to cancel any visa issued if circumstances change.”

But Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Friday that visa applicants were being treated unfairly.

“What Labor is saying is that people’s visas are being canceled because Labor has no idea how long the Labour-backed invasion of Gaza will last, and therefore they are denying them entry into the country. This is callous and inhumane,” Bandt said.

Australia says Israel has the right to defend itself after an attack by Hamas militants last October.

Canberra advocates a two-state solution, in which Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist within internationally recognized borders.