The federal government will resume funding to UNRWA, the United Nations relief agency for Palestinians, CBC News reported.
In addition to moving forward with the $25 million payment scheduled for April, Canada’s international development minister is also expected to announce new funding, a senior government official said.
The Canadian government announced a suspension of funding in January after Israel claimed that 12 UNRWA employees were somehow involved in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and its affiliate Islamic Jihad.
UNRWA moved quickly to fire 12 staff members on January 26th as soon as Israel made the claim.
Government officials said Canadian authorities had received an interim report from the United Nations investigating the allegations. Based on that information, the Canadian government would be comfortable restarting funding, the people said.
CBC News is not identifying its sources as it is not authorized to speak publicly about the decision.
Canada announced the suspension of funding within hours of a similar announcement by the United States, but Canada’s next regular payment to the organization was not due until April.
CBC News reported last month that Canada had not seen evidence to support the allegations against the employees before making its decision.
International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen is expected to formally announce the move at a press conference on Wednesday morning.
Israel’s claims and Canada’s decision to withhold funding have intensified political debate over UNRWA in the Canadian Parliament.
Conservative leader Pierre Poièvre has denounced the agency as a “terrorist organization” and vowed to cut its funding if he becomes prime minister.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said while he supports investigating the allegations, the move to suspend funding is the wrong move because it would punish desperate people who rely on the agency.
Request for reinstatement of funds
UN officials are calling for funding to be restored.
“The suspension of funding is regrettable,” Martin Griffiths, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said in an interview with CBC’s The National on Tuesday.
He pointed to two ongoing investigations into the Israeli government’s allegations and said he hoped to provide sufficient assurances to Canada and other countries to continue funding UNRWA.
“We are necessary. We are doing what I think is almost the most difficult humanitarian work,” he said, noting that more than 150 personnel had been killed in Gaza.
The Israeli government has long been dissatisfied with UNRWA and called for an end to funding for the agency.
The group says UNRWA perpetuates the Palestinian refugee crisis, allows members of armed groups to enter and use its facilities, and allows schools to indoctrinate Palestinian children with an ideology of armed resistance against Israel. He blames it.
UNRWA said it is making significant efforts to avoid infiltration by armed groups and is committed to educating its staff on the importance of neutrality.
