David Lammy announces restoration of UK's UNRWA funding

Foreign Secretary says UN agency is vital for Gazans as enclave faces polio outbreak

UK Foreign Minister David Lammy speaks in the House of Commons. Photo: UK Parliament

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the country would restore funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, after payments were paused amid Israeli allegations about some UNRWA staff.

Mr Lammy said on Friday that a plan for reconstruction must be ready immediately for a ceasefire in the enclave and that UNRWA was vital for rebuilding efforts. The UK will provide £21 million ($27.1 million) in new funding to the agency.

"UNRWA is absolutely central to these efforts, no other agency can operate at the scale needed. It's already feeding over half of Gaza's population," he said. "It will be vital for future reconstruction and it provides critical services to Palestinian refugees in the region."

The UN agency, led by Philippe Lazzarini, suffered a donor crisis when Israel lodged complaints that some staff had ties to Hamas, a move that provoked global concerns after the attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war.

"I was appalled by the allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 attacks. But the UN took these allegations seriously," said Mr Lammy.

"I've spoken to UN Secretary General [Antonio] Guterres and commissioner Lazzarini. We are reassured that after Catherine Colonna's independent review, UNRWA is ensuring they meet the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures including on vetting.

"UNRWA has acted. Partners like Japan, the European Union and Norway have also now acted. This government will act, too. I can confirm to the House [Parliament] that we are overturning the suspension of UNRWA funding."

The new funds are not only for the delivery of aid, but also to reinforce the reforms agenda pursued by Mr Lazzarini.

"Britain will provide £21 million in new funds, some directed at supporting the management reforms recommended by the Colonna review, and UNRWA supports more than five and a half million Palestinians, almost 200 of their staff have died through this conflict. I thank them for this life saving work."

Speaking in the House of Commons, the Foreign Secretary said Israel had imposed impossible and unacceptable restrictions on aid into Gaza. "Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such catastrophe and it is aid agencies who ensure UK support reaches civilians on the ground," Mr Lammy added.

Pointing to the volume of aid crossing the border into Gaza as the conflict has raged in defiance of ceasefire talks, he said the entry of 70 lorries a day was nowhere near enough. "Britain wants to see an immediate ceasefire," he added.

"The fighting must stop. The hostages must be released. Much, much more aid has got to enter Gaza. This horror must end, now.

"We were told in April that they would flood Gaza with aid – 70 is no way near enough."

The level of disease in the besieged enclave sent a warning to the world that the Gaza death toll would increase, he said, particularly with reports of an outbreak of polio and cases of diarrhoea at "40 times" normal levels. "Polio [is] setting in Gaza, it is horrific and troubles us all deeply," Mr Lammy added.

A UK government breakdown of the package of support for UNRWA showed:

· The UK will provide £6 million to the Gaza flash appeal, through which UNRWA is specifically focused on addressing the most urgent needs of more than three million people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

· A further £15 million with be disbursed to UNRWA’s programme budget to provide basic services in Palestine and the wider region.

Last week, the UK signed a joint statement alongside more than 117 member states, including the US, Germany, Jordan, Kuwait and Slovenia, making clear their shared commitment and support to the “vital and indispensable role” of UNRWA in providing life-saving aid to Palestinian refugees.

The UK Liberal Democrats' foreign affairs spokeswoman Layla Moran urged Mr Lammy to “pull the lever that would best signify” the country's commitment to the two-state solution, by announcing the recognition of a Palestinian state.

“And there is only one viable answer to that, and that is the two-state solution," she said.

"That is our North Star, it is the keystone to stability in the region as well, but I have to express disappointment that the Foreign Secretary refuses to pull the lever that would best signify our commitment to it, which is to recognise the Palestinian state on 1967 borders. Ireland, Spain and Norway did it this May. Will he consider it, and if he won’t, why not?”

In his reply, Mr Lammy said such a move was in Labour's sights. “There is no confusion on this party’s position on Palestinian recognition," he said. "We are committed to Palestinian recognition. We hope to work with partners to achieve that when the circumstances are right.”

Mr Lammy added that ending the conflict in Gaza means Hamas is removed from positions of control, but added that Israel must not oversee the enclave either. "[Israel's army] must not be situated in Gaza, there has to be a new paradigm," he said. "It will evolve. I suspect our partners and others can give the security guarantees to Israel. It's a complicated picture. We have to work at pace at what becomes afterwards."

Campaigners said the government should strength its commitment to UNRWA with guarantees and pushed Mr Lammy to take a stronger stand on Israel's compliance with international laws.

"This announcement should be supported by multi-year commitments to fund UNRWA, alongside renewed political support for its mandate," a spokeswoman for Bond International said. "Humanitarian funding should not be used as a sticking plaster to circumvent international responsibilities.

"We also welcome the new UK government’s assessment of the government of Israel’s compliance with international law and look forward to the publishing of this assessment."

Chris Doyle, of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, called for a push to ensure Israel takes responsibility for the agency's losses in the conflict. "The government must also hold Israel accountable for its role in the killing of 197 UNRWA staff in Gaza since 7 October, 2023," he said. "This is the highest number of United Nations fatalities ever recorded in a single conflict."