Why did USAID Fund UNRWA's Jihad Education?
Jihad is "In line with U.N. principles", only "inappropriate by some other audiences"
Newly uncovered internal memos from the Biden State Department reveal a deeply troubling defense of its decision to restore funding to the UNRWA, an agency long accused of promoting violence and terrorism. The memo was obtained by the Washington Free Beacon through a records request from watchdog group Protect the Public Trust.
The memo, acquired by the Washington Free Beacon, is a part of the administration's defense of its decision to resume funding for UNRWA, which had been paused during the first Trump administration. The memo, written by Deputy Assistant Secretary Nancy Izzo Jackson for Secretary of State Antony Blinken, justified continued support with the claim that UNRWA’s educational materials and references to "jihad" are "in line with U.N. principles" and only "viewed as inappropriate by some other audiences."
The memo indicated that UNRWA maintained that these terms did not violate “U.N. principles” and were only viewed as inappropriate by “some other audiences.” The State Department emphasized that a few of the cards were updated, with most being kept in circulation, as they were seen as consistent with the U.N.'s guidelines.
The short report by IMPACT-SE, reviewed UNRWA’s materials after UNRWA’s supposed review in November 2020. The report found that, contrary to UNRWA’s claims, it continued to distribute content on online platforms through material, which were part of UNRWA’s home-learning initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, glorified terrorism and continued spreading hate against Jews and Israel.
The most troubling part is that UNRWA, claims that it cannot change the education program as it’s dictated by the 'local Palestinian authorities.' The claim contradicts the opinion of UNRWA’s own legal counsel, who in 1968 stated that UNRWA’s education is independent and cannot be controlled by the local authorities.
“In the performance of their duties the Secretary-General and the staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any other authority external to the Organization…” - UNITED NATIONS JURIDICAL YEARBOOK 1968
But most importantly is the evidence that UNRWA is not controlled by the PA, parts of the content seem to be innovations of UNRWA itself, as they do not appear in Palestinian Authority books. Among the examples, a spelling exercise which teaches 9th graders to condemn Arab-Israeli peace and normalization initiatives and claim they only serve to “weaken the resolve of Palestinians”.
The materials also include references to jihad and violence in Arabic language lessons for grades 6 and 9. For example: Children are asked to complete a verb conjugation exercise containing the sentence “jihad is the road of glory.” A lesson for 6th grade tells girls to make preparations for jihad in defense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque
Beyond the educational materials, the memo also addressed concerns regarding UNRWA’s ties to terrorist groups like Hamas. The U.S. State Department acknowledged that the relief agency’s facilities had been exploited. Some of these facilities contained tunnels, which connected to UNRWA schools and were suspected to be used as military outposts but tried to downplay the connection to Hamas.
The memo sheds light on the Biden administration's decision to resume funding for UNRWA, revealing that the State Department was fully aware of the ongoing issues within the agency but chose to move forward with the funding regardless. This occurred just two months before a private assessment from the State Department suggested that Hamas could benefit from an additional $360 million in aid.
The memo also acknowledged that terror infrastructure and weapons continued to occur since the last U.S. contributions in 2018 in multiple locations, including the fact that Hamas infiltration into UNRWA was not exclusive to Gaza, it documented how a in a health center in Lebanon a terror tunnel was also found.
Perhaps even more shocking was that after it was discovered that UNRWA staff members were involved in the October 7 massacre carried out by Hamas and Palestinian civilians in 2023, the Biden Administration continued to claim that funding UNRWA was in the interest of America. In January 2024, Hillel Neuer from UN Watch testified before Congress. During the hearing, Rep. Brian Mast asked Mara Rudman from the Miller Center, who represented the Biden Administration during the hearing, if 'there was any threshold of bad behavior' for the U.S. to defund UNRWA. Her answer was a shocking negative, as she confirmed that UNRWA’s funding was in the interest of the U.S.
At the heart of this issue is a glaring contradiction: How can the U.S. government claim that funding UNRWA, an agency with deep ties to terrorism and indoctrinating children into Jihad, is in American’s best interests? How can the UN claim jihadi education is “in line with UN principles”? By accepting the claim that “Jihad” is “only problematic for some audiences”, does the Biden Administration claim that those “audiences,” for which radical Jihad ideologies, do not include the U.S.? Or is the Biden Administration claiming that destroying Israel, was part of its foreign policy?
This is not merely a matter of misplaced priorities—it is a direct and dangerous erosion of American foreign policy principles and values. The U.S. government must be held accountable for its actions. Is it truly in America’s best interest to fund an organization that actively contributes to the radicalization of children and the promotion of violence? Until these fundamental questions are addressed, the Biden administration’s decision to restore funding to UNRWA will remain a deeply troubling and morally questionable chapter in U.S. foreign policy.
Tunnels under the girls schools sounds like a PuffDiddy move 🤬😡👹😳. We The People Voted Trump Law and Order ⚖️🇺🇲🖤
Viewed by "some"? By any civilized individual.