Israel’s decision to terminate the operations of the UN Relief and Works Agency has sparked international concern, but there is an immediate, viable, and proven solution available – the UN Office for Project Services.
After decades of problematic politicization and proven infiltration by terrorist organizations, sustaining UNRWA is no longer tenable. Instead, UNOPS, an apolitical and transparent agency already operating effectively in Gaza, should immediately assume responsibility for humanitarian aid and essential services.
As recently highlighted by The Jerusalem Post’s Batya Levinthal on March 13, 2025, UNRWA’s refugee definition has reached absurd proportions, counting millionaires such as Jordanian-American real estate magnate Mohamed Hadid, his supermodel daughters Bella and Gigi Hadid, and billionaire Zahwa Arafat, daughter of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, as refugees.
This stark anomaly underscores how UNRWA perpetuates rather than resolves refugee status – fundamentally obstructing peace.
But far worse than bureaucratic inefficiency, UNRWA’s infiltration by terror groups has been devastatingly documented. Israeli investigations have uncovered that more than 2,135 UNRWA employees are directly affiliated with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, including one-fifth of UNRWA’s school principals in Gaza.
During recent hostilities, the IDF revealed a Hamas command center built directly beneath UNRWA’s Gaza headquarters, confirming long-held suspicions that the humanitarian mission of UNRWA has become irretrievably compromised by terrorism.
Consequently, Israel was compelled to enact laws terminating UNRWA’s activities within its borders effective January 30, 2025. As Levinthal reported, authorities shut down UNRWA schools in east Jerusalem and terminated coordination ties, causing international staff to depart and leading to funding withdrawals by the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the EU.
Replacing UNRWA
THOUGH UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini recently expressed fears of “deepening hunger” in Gaza due to Israel’s decision to restrict aid flows, it was precisely UNRWA’s compromised position that triggered this necessary action. Contrary to predictions of humanitarian catastrophe, another UN agency, UNOPS, has already decisively demonstrated that it can seamlessly fill this gap.
In recent months, when Gaza faced severe shortages of fuel for hospitals, generators, and bakeries due to UNRWA’s absence, UNOPS efficiently stepped in, delivering nearly three million liters of fuel without disruption – proving its capability beyond any doubt.
UNOPS operates on a transparent, results-driven, apolitical basis. Unlike UNRWA, whose existence perpetuates a politicized refugee narrative and the controversial Palestinian “right of return,” UNOPS can ensure neutral humanitarian assistance free of political manipulation.
Its flexible structure allows direct accountability to donors, ensuring funds go exclusively to clearly defined humanitarian projects. Donor nations previously reluctant to fund UNRWA due to transparency concerns could confidently redirect resources to UNOPS, ensuring assistance reaches Palestinian civilians without fueling extremism or conflict.
Replacing UNRWA with UNOPS is neither radical nor speculative. It represents a pragmatic approach already supported by proven facts on the ground. In recent months, Gaza’s critical health and humanitarian needs continued to be met seamlessly by UNOPS and other specialized agencies, debunking claims that UNRWA is indispensable. The initial fears raised internationally were rapidly disproven as alternative mechanisms quickly filled the humanitarian gaps left by UNRWA’s termination.
For Israel, trading UNRWA for UNOPS provides clear security and diplomatic dividends, removing a terrorist-exploited institution while enhancing transparency and donor confidence. For Palestinians, this shift offers reliable humanitarian care untainted by politics or corruption – an essential condition for stability and development.
It is not the continuation of UNRWA that serves the interests of Palestinian civilians; rather, it is the assurance of stable, transparent, and accountable humanitarian aid. The international community, particularly major donors like the US and EU, must now decisively back UNOPS as the primary agency responsible for Gaza’s relief and reconstruction efforts.
Ultimately, transitioning from UNRWA to UNOPS represents an opportunity to reset a humanitarian framework long distorted by politics and extremism. It is a shift that benefits Palestinians, bolsters regional stability, and aligns with the moral and security imperatives recognized by democratic states worldwide.
For ordinary Palestinians, shifting aid responsibilities from UNRWA to UNOPS means more effective, transparent, and accountable humanitarian assistance – ultimately improving their daily lives and long-term prospects.
With UNRWA’s irreparable failure now fully exposed, UNOPS is the clear – and only – choice.
The writer, an expert in crisis communications and strategic governance specializing in countering disinformation and international influence, served as vice president of External Relations at the Israel Aerospace Industries and has advised the government on strategic communication during national emergencies.