Questioning in Senate Estimates this morning has revealed that three weeks on from the UNRWA funding suspension, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong still has no evidence of claims by the State of Israel and did not speak to the UNRWA chief before halting funding. A video of the exchange is here. (from 09:33m)
Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson for International Aid and Global Justice Senator Mehreen Faruqi has called on the Albanese government to admit their error and reverse UNRWA funding suspension immediately to save lives.
Senator Faruqi said:
"Three weeks after suspending UNRWA's funding the Labor government still does not have a shred of evidence on Israel's allegations. This smacks of a political decision to cut off life saving aid to Palestinians in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.
"It is unbelievable that the Minister thought no evidence or even a call to UNRWA, at the bare minimum, was necessary before jumping to suspend aid funding while Palestinians are being bombed, killed and starved.
"It's not just profoundly irresponsible, but yet again shows what the community knows - Minister Wong and the Labor government are utterly misguided in this suspension of aid to UNRWA amid their unquestioning support for the State of Israel.
"It's high time Minister Wong admit the Labor government's error in suspending aid funding and restore it immediately.
"The Labor government must immediately lift the suspension of UNRWA funding, they have nothing to hide behind anymore. In fact, there is a need to rapidly increase aid given the dire situation in Gaza.
