UNRWA Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize Amid Controversy

A prominent Norwegian politician has nominated the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the Nobel Peace Prize, despite the organization’s recent controversy. UNRWA has been accused of having employees involved in a Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel.

Labour MP Asmund Aukrust, who also serves as the vice-chairman of Norway’s parliament’s foreign affairs committee, justified his nomination in an interview with the Dagbladet newspaper. He praised UNRWA for its “long-term work to provide vital support to Palestine and the region in general.”

UNRWA’s Vital Role

Aukrust emphasized the agency’s role in supporting Palestine for over 70 years, noting its work has become even more crucial in the past three months. The UNRWA is currently mired in controversy after a dozen staff members were implicated in the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel.

These attacks, which resulted in the brutal killings of approximately 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 253, have led several countries to suspend funding to the agency. The United States, Germany, Britain, and Sweden, all significant donors to UNRWA, are among the countries that stopped their contributions.

Repercussions of the Attacks

In response to the October 7 atrocities, Israel launched a major military offensive against Hamas, the governing body in Gaza. The Israeli Defense Forces claim to have killed approximately 10,000 fighters in Gaza, in addition to around 1,000 terrorists in Israel on the same day as the attacks.

Nobel Peace Prize Nomination Process

Being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize doesn’t equate to recognition by the Nobel Committee. The committee receives hundreds of nominations every year, with thousands of individuals eligible to submit nominations. The identity of candidates is kept confidential for 50 years, but nominators are free to disclose their selected nominee.

Other known candidates tied to the Israel-Hamas war have also been nominated. These include the Palestinian rights organization Al-Haq, Israel’s B’Tselem, and the International Court of Justice. Additional nominees reported in the media include former US president Donald Trump, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, the UN refugee agency UNHCR, Pope Francis, Colombian president Gustavo Petro, and the NGO Reporters Without Borders.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee will announce the winner in October. Last year, the prize was awarded to Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned Iranian women’s rights activist recognized for her fight against women’s oppression in Iran.