When the United Nations was formed in 1945, it was built on the ashes of World War II, with the noble goal of preventing future global conflicts and promoting peace. A few years later, in 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was established. Its purpose was to assist those displaced during the Arab-Israeli conflict following Israel's independence. Initially, it aimed to provide temporary relief—shelter, food, and work programs—for all refugees of the war, including Jews and Arabs.

But over time, its mission narrowed. UNRWA became exclusively focused on Palestinian refugees and their descendants, growing into a massive organization with billions of dollars in funding. What began as a temporary aid program evolved into a system that some argue has perpetuated dependency and conflict rather than resolving it. 

Watch as JNS senior editor Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev, former Israeli ambassador to the U.K., break down these revelations and discuss the...