March 3, 2025
Dear Members of Congress:
We, the undersigned 124 civil society organizations, write to respectfully request your support for the restoration of United States funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) through cosponsorship of the forthcoming “UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2025.”
UNRWA’s staff, facilities, and infrastructure remain the backbone of the humanitarian response in the devastated Gaza Strip and serve as a significant stabilizing presence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Since October 2023, UNRWA has delivered two-thirds of all food assistance to Gaza, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons, and vaccinated a quarter of a million children against polio. UNRWA continues this wide-scale life-saving assistance, despite the implementation of Knesset restrictions in January on UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territory.
In the first phase of the ceasefire alone, UNRWA brought in 60% of the food entering Gaza, reaching more than 2 million people, or over 90% of the population. In addition, the Agency opened 37 new shelters to support people returning to the north, providing tents, blankets, plastic sheeting, and warm clothes to survive the winter months. UNRWA is providing 17,000 medical consultations a day, repairing water wells, and providing waste disposal services for nearly half a million people in and around UNRWA shelters. Over 260,000 children, who were out of school for a year and a half due to constant bombardment, are now enrolled in UNRWA’s online learning platform.
In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, UNRWA offers stability by providing education to over 49,000 refugee children and youth who attend UNRWA schools and vocational training centers. It also provides primary healthcare services to nearly half a million Palestine refugees at more than 40 UNRWA healthcare centers. In the last 12 months alone, UNRWA supported over 10,000 refugee families with cash assistance in response to house demolitions and damage, and settler violence. These UNRWA services are especially critical given the prolonged security situation in the northern part of the West Bank, which has already displaced 40,000 Palestine refugees from their homes.
Importantly, UNRWA and the broader UN acted swiftly and decisively to address any allegations concerning employee neutrality, as evidenced by the resumption of support by other UN member states – leaving the United States one of the only holdouts. We believe it is now time for Congress to actively reengage with the Administration with the goal of resuming US funding to UNRWA, ensuring the Agency can continue its mandate.
We are all grateful for the implementation of phase one of the ceasefire agreement, particularly the release of hostages and the increased flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the current truce is fragile and the transition from a ceasefire to the “day after” will be long and arduous. UNRWA’s continued presence is essential to this process.
UNRWA was never intended to be a permanent entity. However, 76 years later, the Agency is still in place—not by choice, but rather as the result of a collective failure by UN Member States to resolve the underlying political issues. The alternative to imploding UNRWA is to support the UN Agency to progressively conclude its mandate within the framework of a political process.
We appreciate your consideration of this request and hope you will use your voice and vote to support the humanitarian needs and rights of Palestine refugees.
Respectfully,
UNRWA USA National Committee
US & International Organizations
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
99 Coalition
Action Corps
Alliance of Baptists
American Baptist Churches USA
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Carolina Peace Center
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
Center for International Policy Advocacy
Charity & Security Network
Christians for a Free Palestine
Church World Service
Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS)
Climate Refugees
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
CODEPINK
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces DAWN
Demand Progress
Disciples Center for Public Witness
Disciples Palestine/Israel Network
Disciples Peace Fellowship
Doctors Against Genocide
Emgage Action
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Every Campus A Refuge
Families For Freedom
Free Migration Project
Health Workers 4 Palestine
Hindus for Human Rights
Historians for Peace and Democracy
Human Rights First
Human Rights Watch
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
International Refugee Assistance Project
J Street
Jewish Voice for Peace Action
MADRE
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC)
Migrant Roots Media
MoveOn
MPower Change Action Fund
Muslim Advocates
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches
National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA)
Never Again Action
New Jewish Narrative
Nonviolent Peaceforce
Norwegian Refugee Council USA
Oil Change International
Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Pax Christi USA
Pax Christi Young Adult Caucus
Peace Action
Presbyterian Church, (USA), Office of Public Witness
Project South
Reformed Church in America
Refugees International
ReThinking Foreign Policy
RootsAction.org
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team
Society of the Flora, Fauna & Friend
The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP)
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East
United Against Inhumanity (UAI)
United Church of Christ
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action
US-Lutheran Palestine Israel Justice Network
Welcoming America
Witness at the Border
Women’s Refugee Commission
World BEYOND War
Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights
Local Organizations
14 Friends of Palestine, Marin
Al Otro Lado
All Saints Middle East Ministry
Arab American Civic Council
Arizona Muslim Alliance
Berkeley Society of Friends (Quakers)
Brooklyn for Peace
Delaware Clergy for Middle East Peace
Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights
Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, Washington DC
First Friends of New Jersey & New York
Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project
Friends of Sabeel-LA/OC Chapter
Humanitarian Health Workers
Indiana Center for Middle East Peace
Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice of Western MA
Jewish Voice for Peace/Tacoma-Pierce County
Massachusetts Peace Action
Maui for Palestine
Maui Peace Action
Middle East Justice and Peace Group of South Central PA Minnesota Peace Project
Morningside Quaker Meeting
Muslim Advocacy for Rights, Unity, and Fairness – CT (MARUF CT)
Muslim Justice League
NH Peace Action
North Carolina Peace Action
Oasis Legal Services
Olive Branch Fair Trade
Pax Christi New York State
Peace Action New York State
Peace Action of Michigan
Peace Action WI
Peace, Justice, Sustainability, NOW!
Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition
Progressive Democrats of America – Central New Mexico
Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice
Shalom United Church of Christ
St. Columba Catholic Church
Sunflowers for Peace
The Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church USA Bay Area
Transformations CDC
Virginia Coalition for Human Rights
Westminster Presbyterian Church – Middle East Task Force
