We condemn efforts by the Trump Administration to perpetuate dire conditions for Palestinians.

Unitarian Universalists affirm the guiding power of Love and the values of Justice and Equity, as well as a belief in the dignity of all humans, democratic rights, and compassion in human relations. Our religion has a long and proud history of supporting the United Nations and its efforts toward global justice. UUJME takes inspiration from the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Nearly three-fourths of delegates to the Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly in 2024 supported a resolution to take action in solidarity with Palestinians.

One of President Trump’s recent Executive Orders mandates withdrawing the U.S. from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and extends President Biden’s ban on United States funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main organization providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees. This action continues a devastating impact on the UNRWA budget, restricting the amount of life-saving food and healthcare, as well as education, for millions of Palestinian refugees. The need for UNRWA is greater than it has ever been, after 15 months of genocidal attacks on Gaza, and an escalation of attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The Trump Administration is promoting outrageous designs to continue denying aid to Palestinians while continuing to supply weapons to Israel, and proposing a massive expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland.

UNRWA was established in 1949 to provide support to the 750,000 Palestinians violently displaced from their homes and lands between 1946-1948 during the formation of the State of Israel. The protracted nature of the situation means that refugee status is retained across generations. The State of Israel’s army attacked numerous UNRWA schools and aid sites during a 15-month assault on Gaza and blocked UNRWA trucks carrying food and other aid during the war with full U.S. support. The Israeli parliament has just activated a ban on UNRWA operations in Israel, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, which is an illegal measure for a member state of the United Nations.  Despite Israel’s attempt at cancellation, “the UN Relief Works Agency continues to operate on the ground in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem, carrying out its life-saving humanitarian assistance at this critical moment,” as reported on February 4.

Support the campaigns of the UNRWA USA National Committee:

• Spread awareness. 

  • Distribute the #HandsOffUNRWA flyer in your congregation and other circles.

  • Speak up on social media using the sample posts in the flyer to repost the Hands Off UNRWA graphics on Instagram.

• Advocate. Contact your U.S. representatives using the UNRWA USA advocacy portal to urge them to restore US government funding.

• Donate to UNRWA (tax deductible) at https://donateunrwa.org/int/en/general.

• Stay informed. Check the UNRWA Situation Reports page and follow UNRWA USA on social media: @unrwausa

Our work and the work of UNRWA will continue until there is a just solution.