Biden administration cozies up to controversial UN agency for Palestinian refugees

The U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has continuously faced accusations of teaching hatred and incitement in its school system against Jews and Israelis. Yet none of this was even hinted at in an optimistic statement released following the meeting between Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and the head of UNRWA Philippe Lazzarini.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center told Fox News that he was "extremely shocked and disappointed that the ambassador, according to this readout, failed to state openly and directly for its reinvestment in UNRWA. The American people expect that UNRWA will change its curriculum to teach the Palestinian children that Israel is a legitimate state [and] that terrorists are not to be promoted as heroes to children. In short, to change from a war curriculum to a peace curriculum."  Cooper, who is the associate dean at the Wiesenthal Center, noted that "failure to do so means [the] U.S. as major donor nation will facilitate the brainwashing of another generation of Palestinian children to hate their Jewish neighbors." The readout of the meeting between the U.S. ambassador and the head of UNRWA stated in part, "The two discussed U.S. re-engagement with UNRWA, including the recent announcement of the resumption of U.S. assistance to the agency. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield underscored the critical role that UNRWA plays in providing vital services to a vulnerable population and reiterated Secretary Blinken’s pledge of partnership with the agency."