In recent weeks, I’ve found myself increasingly troubled by the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the ongoing Middle East conflict. When I read the recent allegations that it may be aligned with Hamas, I felt a growing unease. This issue isn’t just political; it’s personal and affects the prospects for peace in a region that has seen enough pain. The time has come to reassess the agency’s future and its impact on the people it was meant to serve.

The Historical Context: UNHCR and UNRWA

Reflecting on my family’s journey to Canada, I’m reminded of how different our fate could have been. We arrived in 1951, leaving behind a war-torn Europe that held few prospects for Jews like us. By 1956, we were proud Canadian citizens. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), established just a year before we arrived in Canada, has a clear mission: to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people. It offers pathways—voluntary repatriation, local integration, or resettlement in a third country—so refugees can rebuild their lives with dignity.

And it works. As of June 2020, the UNHCR had resettled over 20 million refugees within two to three years of gaining refugee status. I can’t help but contrast this with the very different reality for Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.

UNRWA: An Overview

UNRWA was established in 1949 by the UN General Assembly to provide relief to all refugees displaced by the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict—both Jewish and Arab. But over time, it shifted focus exclusively to Palestinian Arab refugees. Unlike the UNHCR, which is geared towards resettling and integrating refugees, UNRWA has maintained the “right of return” to Israel for Palestinian refugees, passing this hope down through generations. Their definition of “refugee” is unique and has extended to include descendants and those who have resettled and even acquired citizenship in countries like Canada and the U.S.

Over 5 million people now hold UNRWA-recognized Palestinian refugee status, and each claims the “right of return” to Palestine. This demand directly challenges Israel’s sovereignty and fuels the conflict, including Hamas’s ongoing war against Israel, which escalated sharply again on October 7, 2023.

The Challenges with UNRWA

One of the most glaring issues with UNRWA is its status as the only UN agency dedicated solely to one group—Palestinian refugees. Refugees from other regions receive support from UNHCR. This distinction has led many Palestinians to maintain their refugee status for decades, even while residing in different countries. And this isn’t just a bureaucratic difference; it has real-world consequences.

Unlike the UNHCR’s approach to finding long-term solutions for refugees, UNRWA has kept Palestinian refugees in a perpetual state of limbo and dependency for over 75 years. Is it any wonder that the conflict has persisted and perhaps even deepened over time?

Einat Wilf, in a briefing to UN delegations at the UN headquarters, put it bluntly: UNRWA has perpetuated the Palestinian vision of “return” to pre-1948 lands—a vision that some interpret as being inherently linked to the destruction of the State of Israel. This stance has, at times, aligned UNRWA with hostile entities like Hamas, further complicating any chance for a peaceful resolution.

Take Gaza, for example. International aid for rebuilding schools, hospitals, and homes is often diverted. Instead of focusing on civilian welfare, Hamas has directed resources to military objectives—training militias, importing arms, and building an extensive tunnel network for warfare. This misuse of resources has only exacerbated the suffering of ordinary people. And so, the cycle of violence continues, with UNRWA unwittingly caught in the middle.

Moving Forward

Looking at UNRWA’s role, I feel a significant change is needed. It’s not about abandoning the refugees or their legitimate grievances; it’s about breaking free from a cycle that has trapped them in a seemingly endless conflict. With updated goals and rigorous oversight, transitioning UNRWA’s responsibilities to the UNHCR might provide a pathway toward genuine progress.

We need bold changes—changes that prioritize peace, human welfare, and the future over the ongoing disputes of the past. For both Israelis and Palestinians, isn’t it time we tried a different approach?