I, like many other Americans, have close relatives who risked their lives for the safety and peace of our world. My maternal brother bravely served two tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom, offering a very personal insight into the dangers posed by groups such as Hamas. My paternal family, having survived the pogroms in Ukraine, knows all too well the devastating impact of violence.

Simultaneously, friends from the peninsula speak out against Islamic terror, building a community of voices advocating for safety. As a scholar in Conflict, Peace & Terrorism, I comprehend the intricacies of such issues, further highlighting the urgency of this matter.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been linked with Hamas, an organization known to have abducted over two hundred people and responsible for countless deaths. This fact alone should prompt us to question the allocation of our resources.

Unfortunately, among the hostages taken by this terrorist group were American citizens, highlighting the direct threat this poses to our national security. Amidst all this, the U.S in part through measures suggested by progressive members- seeks to restart funding to UNRWA, essentially supporting an organization vulnerable to Hamas infiltration. The safety and well-being of people globally should not be compromised by organizations with dubious affiliations. Other groups, free from such links, are readily available, and better equipped to help those in need in this region.

Hence, we must demand the cessation of all U.S funding to UNRWA, redirecting it to trustworthy, transparent organizations that genuinely serve the distressed, without risking national or global safety. Sign this petition to stop American funding of UNRWA and ensure the security of all.