On Sunday, a Muslim group in the United States criticized former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, for suggesting, without providing evidence, that certain protesters advocating for a Gaza ceasefire might have connections to Russia.
Pelosi had urged the FBI to investigate the matter.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) labeled Pelosi’s comments as “unsubstantiated smears” and asserted that such statements contribute to the dehumanization of the Palestinian people.
Pelosi linked opposition to President Joe Biden’s Gaza policy to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating, “For them to call for a ceasefire is Mr. Putin’s message, Mr. Putin’s message.
Make no mistake, this is directly connected to what he would like to see.”
She expressed her belief that some protesters were spontaneous and genuine, while suggesting that others may have connections to Russia, calling for financial links to be investigated by the FBI.
Meanwhile,
The United Nations chief has urged donor states to ensure the continuous flow of aid to Gaza, as some countries suspended funding to the UNRWA agency for Palestinians due to allegations that certain staff members were involved in the October 7 massacre.
The dispute over UNRWA deepened, and amid heavy fighting in Gaza, more people sought refuge by moving south towards the Egyptian border.
UNRWA announced on Friday that it had terminated several employees based on unspecified accusations from Israel regarding their involvement in Hamas’s October 7 offensive.
Donor countries, including Germany, Britain, Italy, Australia, and Finland, joined the United States in suspending additional funding to the agency in response to the allegations.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, while acknowledging the concerns and expressing his own horror at the accusations, appealed to the governments that suspended contributions to ensure the continued operations of UNRWA.
Guterres emphasized that the reprehensible actions of some UNRWA staff should not result in the penalization of thousands of other humanitarian workers.
