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The Albanese government's decision to restore funding to the United Nations aid agency designated for Palestinian refugees has been slammed by Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson.
Following allegations that staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) were involved in Hamas' October 7 assault on Israel, Australia, alongside a host of other countries, suspended funding for the body. But late last week, Australia followed Canada and many European Union nations in restoring support after receiving assurances from the body over enhanced due diligence and other internal control measures.
Senator Paterson told ABC's Insiders program Foreign Minister Penny Wong's reasoning was not good enough.
"My view is we shouldn't tolerate a single Australian dollar going to a potential terrorist organisation," he said.
"The Foreign Minister said the advice was that UNWRA was not a terrorist organisation - not a high bar.
"I think we should have higher expectations of our aid delivery partners than merely 'they are not terrorist organisations'." Senator Paterson said Israel had previously raised concerns regarding the agency.
"Those warnings were ignored and the consequences were employees participating in the worst attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust," he said. "I have no confidence that UNRWA has reformed itself, particularly because our closest allies like the US and UK have not restarted their aid." Mr Paterson said other charities, agencies and aid arrangements should be considered before the resumption of funding to UNRWA.
The funding restoration, worth $6m, comes at a critical juncture for UNWRA, which has become the principal conduit for aid into Gaza.