On December 6, 2024 First Unitarian Church hosted a highly successful benefit for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA). Director of Social Justice Dana Buhl opened the evening stressing that Unitarian Universalist values call us to support human rights for Palestinians. She referred to the Solidarity with Palestinians Action of Immediate Witness that was passed by the UU General Assembly in June as a guiding mandate.
Featured speaker UNRWA-USA Development Officer Zaina Dana shared stories, photographs and vital information about the role of UNRWA for the human and cultural survival of Palestinians and illustrated the current catastrophe faced by those living in Gaza. She was followed Dr. Michael Fahkri, University of Oregon Law Professor and UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Food, who highlighted the United Nation’s role in Palestine, Israel’s policy of starvation in Gaza, and Israel’s efforts to dismantle UNRWA. He also described the United States’ continued support for Israel’s policies and military practices as well as the growing popular support in the US for a ceasefire and provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Mazin Malik and Marlene Eid, members of the Steering Committees of the American Council for Palestine and the Jewish Palestinian Alliance of Oregon, gave the exciting fundraising pitch.
More than one hundred people attended and collectively contributed over $50,000 to UNRWA!
UNRWA was chartered in 1949 to support Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. It provides food, health care, education, water and sanitation, and small business support for Palestinians displaced in the creation of Israel and the 1967 war. It currently is the only support entity allowed to function in the Occupied Territories and is the lifeline for the millions of people of Gaza. The Israeli government has long sought the dissolution of UNRWA. In the week leading up to the fundraiser, First Unitarian ministers, staff, and board members received over 3,500 emails from supporters of Israel’s policies demanding that the event be canceled. Despite this harassment, First Unitarian maintained its support for the fundamental human rights of Palestinians and went forward to host the event. We remain steady in our values that put Love at the center and honor the inherent worthiness of all people.
