Amendment cutting US aid to UNRWA & UN Human Rights Council advances in House of Representatives

"An amendment from Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) that would sever U.S. aid to the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) - an agency that exclusively assists Palestinian refugees worldwide - has been advanced by the House Rules Committee. The measure for Fiscal Year 2018 will now head to a floor wide vote.

While numerous amendments are proposed to the annual State and Foreign Operations bill in the House Appropriations Committee, a select few are 'made into order' by the Rules Committee and subsequently receive a floor wide vote. An informed Republican staffer told Jewish Insider that this will be the first time in many years that a floor wide vote - possibly as early as on Thursday - will proceed on defunding UNRWA.

In addition to cutting payments to UNRWA, the amendment would also end funding to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights..."