American victims of terrorism could soon sue international orgs if Cruz's bill passes

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is introducing authorities that would let American victims of panic groups to clasp the organizations that money those groups accountable successful a tribunal of law. The Texas Republican is reintroducing the Limiting Immunity for Assisting Backers of Lethal Extremism (LIABLE) Act, which is akin to a measure helium introduced during the past Congress. That mentation had the backing of then-Sen. Marco Rubio.

As of now, Americans are capable to writer overseas governments successful circumstantial cases outlined successful the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), but they are incapable to writer planetary organizations, which bask immunity nether the International Organization Immunities Act (IOIA). However, the LIABLE Act would make an objection successful the IOIA, allowing Americans to writer organizations that knowingly supply enactment oregon resources to violent groups.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is reintroducing authorities that would marque it truthful American victims of panic tin writer planetary organizations. (Getty Images)

TRUMP CUTS US OFF FROM UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, BANS UNRWA FUNDING

"UNRWA has knowingly provided salaries and materials to Hamas for decades. That enactment enabled Hamas to limb itself, make its immense underground violent infrastructure, and motorboat its October 7th atrocities connected Israel," Cruz said successful a statement connected the archetypal portion of authorities introduced successful 2024. "That onslaught included the execution and kidnapping of dozens of Americans. The victims and their families merit the quality to clasp UNRWA accountable successful tribunal for its enactment of Hamas and for what happened connected October 7th."

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees successful the Near East (UNRWA) is simply a large people of this legislation. UNRWA has faced accusations of aiding Hamas before, during and aft the panic radical carried retired its Oct. 7 massacre. In August 2024, the bureau fired 9 workers who were allegedly progressive successful the attacks, which near 1,200 dormant and 251 taken hostage.

"The authorities is premised connected a mendacious communicative that was debunked much than a twelvemonth agone by the U.S. National Intelligence Council, which confirmed that UNRWA is not aligned successful immoderate mode with Hamas," William Deere, Director of UNRWA's Representative Office successful Washington, told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital did not supply Deere with a transcript of the updated authorities and utilized the 2024 measure arsenic a notation successful its petition for comment.

"The study besides noted that Israeli dislike of UNRWA serves to mischaracterize its assessments of the bureau resulting successful distortions. Rhetoric equating UNRWA with Hamas is factually incorrect, disrespectful, and unsafe to the UNRWA workforce providing health, acquisition and societal services successful the aggregate struggle zones crossed the Agency’s 5 operating areas," Deere said.

Mohammad Abu Itiwi during the October 7th Massacre. The Hamas Nukhba commandant was progressive successful the execution and abduction of Israeli civilians connected October 7th and, according to the IDF, was simultaneously employed by UNRWA. (IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

CRITICS SAY UN'S GLOBAL COMMS OFFICE PROMOTES ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS

The Coordination of Government Activities successful the Territories (COGAT), identified Hamas Nukhba commandant Mohammad Abu Itiwi, who was progressive successful the Oct. 7 massacre, arsenic a erstwhile UNRWA employee.

U.N. watchdog enactment U.N. Watch published a report successful November 2023 that elaborate instances of UNRWA teachers celebrating the Oct. 7 attacks connected their idiosyncratic societal media accounts. One specified illustration was Rawya Halas, Director of the UNRWA Khan Younis Training Center, who called 1 of the alleged Oct. 7 perpetrators a "hero" and the "prince of Khan Younis." Halas was featured successful an UNRWA run conscionable weeks aft the deadly attacks successful Israel.

However, alleged ties betwixt UNRWA and Palestinian panic groups, similar Hamas, were uncovered agelong earlier Oct. 7, 2023.

The UNRWA logo is seen connected the vest of an worker during a sojourn to the Jabal El Hussein exile campy successful 2024.  (Photo by DIRK WAEM/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

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In 2008, Reuters reported that UNRWA subject teacher Awad al-Qiq allegedly built rockets for Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The outlet reported astatine the clip that al-Qiq’s household denied helium was progressive successful terrorism, but militant leaders hailed him arsenic a martyr and the caput of PIJ’s "engineering unit." 

The U.S. paused its backing to UNRWA successful 2024 nether then-President Joe Biden, anterior to the completion of the agency’s probe into its staff’s imaginable engagement successful the Oct. 7 attacks. In 2025, President Donald Trump issued an enforcement bid that pulled U.S. backing from respective U.N. organizations, including UNRWA.