Thu Sep 26 14:35:38 UTC 2024: ## Biden Administration Defends UN Agency Employees Involved in Terror Attack
The Biden-Harris administration has drawn criticism for defending the immunity of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) employees who participated in the October 7, 2023, terror attack in Israel.
In a lawsuit filed by families of the victims, the Department of Justice (DOJ) argued that UNRWA employees are immune from lawsuits based on the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations. The DOJ claims the United Nations has not waived its immunity, echoing UNRWA’s stance.
This argument has sparked controversy as UNRWA itself admitted that nine of its employees may have participated in the attack, with one even returning the body of a murdered Israeli to Gaza.
Legal scholars, including Eugene Kontorovich and Rabbi Mark Goldfeder, argue that the DOJ was not required to defend UNRWA’s immunity. They contend that the Biden administration’s decision to intervene in the case is a political choice, particularly considering the US’s historical support for a broad interpretation of UN immunity.
Critics point to the fact that UNRWA has been accused of indoctrinating Palestinians and its close ties to Hamas, a US-designated terrorist group.
The Biden administration’s stance on this issue has been met with outrage, especially considering that the US previously suspended funding to UNRWA in 2018 due to concerns about its ties to Hamas. President Biden restored funding upon taking office in 2021.
The lawsuit against UNRWA is pending in the Southern District of New York, with the outcome potentially setting a precedent for future legal challenges involving international organizations accused of involvement in terrorist activities.
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