N.J.‘s interim U.S. Senator visits Jordan, supports U.N. agency under fire from Israel

New Jersey’s interim U.S. Senator George Helmy recently returned from a humanitarian trip to Jordan in light of the Israel-Hamas war and voiced concerns about Israel’s move to ban a humanitarian arm of the United Nations.
Helmy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visited Jordan last Monday and met with the deputy commissioner of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the primary U.N. agency responsible for coordinating aid into Gaza and the West Bank. An Israeli bill banning the agency is expected to take effect in three months.
Helmy is the first Coptic Christian to serve in the U.S. Senate and is also the only Arab-American in the upper chamber. He was appointed by Gov. Phil Murphy to replace Sen. Bob Menendez stepped down after the longtime Democrat was convicted of federal corruption charges. Helmy is holding the seat while the election between Democrat Andy Kim and Curtis Bashaw plays out. Murphy has said he will appoint the winner once the race is certified.