Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican representing Texas, is spearheading legislative efforts to enable American victims of terrorism to pursue legal action against the financial backers of terrorist groups in court. He’s reintroducing the Limiting Immunity for Assisting Backers of Lethal Extremism (LIABLE) Act, previously proposed in prior congressional sessions with support from then-Senator Marco Rubio.
Currently, U.S. law allows citizens to sue foreign governments under specific circumstances outlined in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA). However, international organizations typically enjoy immunity from lawsuits, a protection afforded by the International Organization Immunities Act (IOIA). The LIABLE Act aims to amend this, creating an exception that would allow Americans to sue organizations knowingly providing support or resources to terrorist groups.
A Key Focus: UNRWA
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a primary target of this legislation. The agency has been previously accused of facilitating Hamas activities, both before, during, and after the October 7th attacks. Following those attacks, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken, UNRWA terminated nine employees allegedly involved.
As Senator Cruz stated regarding the initial legislation:
“UNRWA has knowingly provided salaries and materials to Hamas for decades. That support enabled Hamas to arm itself, create its vast underground terrorist infrastructure, and launch its October 7th atrocities on Israel.”
He added that the victims and their families “deserve the ability to hold UNRWA accountable in court.”
UNRWA’s Response
William Deere, Director of UNRWA’s Representative Office in Washington, disputed the claims. Deere asserted that a U.S. National Intelligence Council report debunked the notion of UNRWA alignment with Hamas and suggested Israeli biases may be distorting assessments of the agency. He further stated:
“Rhetoric equating UNRWA with Hamas is factually incorrect, disrespectful, and dangerous to the UNRWA workforce providing health, education and social services in the multiple conflict zones across the Agency’s five operating areas.”
Allegations of Complicity
Concerns about connections between UNRWA and Palestinian terror groups extend beyond the October 7th attacks.
* COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for government activities in the territories, identified Mohammad Abu Itiwi, a Hamas Nukhba commander involved in the October 7th massacre, as a former UNRWA employee.
* U.N. Watch, a watchdog organization, published a report detailing instances of UNRWA teachers celebrating the October 7th attacks on social media. Notably, Rawya Halas, Director of the UNRWA Khan Younis Training Center, publicly lauded one alleged perpetrator as a “hero.”
* In 2008, Reuters reported allegations that Awad al-Qiq, an UNRWA science teacher, constructed rockets for Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). While his family denied involvement in terrorism, militant leaders recognized him as a martyr and the head of PIJ’s “engineering unit.”
Funding Pauses
The U.S. has taken steps to curtail funding to UNRWA due to these concerns:
* In 2024, President Joe Biden paused U.S. funding while an investigation into staff involvement in the October 7th attacks was underway.
* Prior to that, in 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order withdrawing U.S. support from several U.N. organizations, including UNRWA.
