Lafayette Reporter

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La) and Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) have joined forces with 15 other colleagues to urge the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to reconsider hiring former United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner General Pierre Krähenbühl as its director general.

The senators highlighted concerns about Krähenbühl's past actions while leading the UNRWA, including allowing antisemitic material in textbooks and permitting Hamas to store weapons in UNRWA facilities. His tenure came to an end in disgrace due to misconduct allegations.

"In December 2018, UNRWA’s ethics office shared with the UN secretary-general a confidential report describing serious acts of mismanagement and abuse of power," the senators stated.

They further detailed the allegations against Krähenbühl, noting that he was accused of engaging in an extramarital affair with a subordinate while on official travel, leading to his placement on administrative leave and subsequent resignation.

The lawmakers expressed their broader concerns about the direction UNRWA took under Krähenbühl's leadership, pointing out the inclusion of antisemitic material in textbooks and the use of UNRWA facilities to store weapons for Hamas.

"As the largest donor to the ICRC, we cannot stand idly by as yet another international organization falls prey to antisemitism and violence, let alone gross mismanagement and moral corruption," the senators emphasized, urging the ICRC to find a more suitable candidate for the director general position.

In addition to their efforts regarding Krähenbühl, Sen. Kennedy has previously taken action related to the UNRWA. In January 2024, he authored a bill to defund the UNRWA permanently and redirect its funding to building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. He also introduced a bill requiring the State Department to review Palestinian school curricula for content encouraging antisemitic violence.

Joining Senators Kennedy and Risch in the letter to the ICRC were Sens. Chuck Grassley, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Eric Schmitt, Rick Scott, Pete Ricketts, Mike Braun, John Boozman, Mike Crapo, Marsha Blackburn, Steve Daines, Thom Tillis, Todd Young, John Cornyn, Bill Cassidy, and Joni Ernst.

For more information, the full letter to the ICRC can be accessed here.