Kamala Harris’s stepdaughter supports UN agency whose ‘staff participated in Oct 7 attacks’
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Kamala Harris’s stepdaughter has called for donations to a UN agency whose workers were accused by Israel of participating in the Oct 7 terror attacks.
Ella Emhoff, 24, posted a link on her Instagram page raising money for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) – a branch of the UN that deals with refugees in Palestine.
Ms Emhoff is the daughter of Douglas Emhoff, who is married to the US vice president.
The US and other Western countries have suspended donations to UNRWA after Israel accused the agency of employing workers who participated in the Hamas terror attacks.
Israeli officials claimed that more than 10 per cent of the agency’s workers were members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad – two of the groups that have launched attacks on Israel in the last five months.
A dossier handed to the US government by Israel in January alleged that UNRWA employees had kidnapped a woman, while another was accused of taking part in a massacre at an Israeli kibbutz where 97 people died.
Matthew Miller, a state department spokesman, said at the time that the US was “extremely troubled” by the allegations. The UN fired several of the employees who were accused of participating in the attacks.
UNRWA is the largest employer in Gaza and has suffered a funding crisis in recent weeks after donations from Western countries, including the UK, were cut in response to the allegations. Canada, Sweden and Australia have since restored donations.
Congressional Republicans are pushing for the temporary suspension of US funding to UNRWA to be made permanent, while Democrats argue that donations to the body are key to securing aid for civilians in Gaza.
Ms Emhoff is a model, artist and fashion designer. She has previously raised money for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.
After the link on her Instagram page to a UNRWA fundraiser was reported by the New York Post on Saturday, it appeared to have been removed.
Darrell Issa, a Republican representative, said UNRWA has “blood on its hands” and that Ms Harris should “tell as many people as she can” about the allegations against the agency.
The White House was contacted for comment.
