U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk has ruled in favor of Representative Ronny Jackson (R-TX), granting him standing to sue the Biden administration for reinstating funding to the United Nations Works and Relief Agency (UNRWA). Jackson has alleged that the administration’s decision was unlawful, citing concerns that the organization’s members have been accused of helping Hamas.
The lawsuit was filed by Jackson in December 2022, in response to the Biden administration’s move to reinstate funding for UNRWA after former President Donald Trump terminated the flow of money to the agency in 2018. Jackson argued that the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw funding was justified due to concerns about UNRWA’s alleged ties to terrorist groups.
In his lawsuit, Jackson accused the Biden administration of providing more than $1.5 billion to Gaza, in part through UNRWA funds, which he alleged violated the Taylor Force Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. The Biden administration had attempted to dismiss Jackson’s complaint in April 2023, citing a lack of standing and an indeterminate claim.
However, Kacsmaryk rejected these claims, stating that Jackson’s complaint was based on the Trump administration’s termination of Economic Support Funds in the West Bank and Gaza and the cessation of contributions to UNRWA. The judge’s decision clears the way for Jackson’s lawsuit to move forward.
The controversy surrounding UNRWA gained international attention in February when allegations emerged that the organization was directly involved in a Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 civilians, including children, women, and men, was allegedly planned and executed by UNRWA members. Further accusations have also surfaced suggesting that ten percent of UNRWA staffers are affiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
