[2] Established in Jerusalem[citation needed] in 1986 by a group of agronomists loosely affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)[3] UAWC is one of the oldest Palestinian non-governmental organizations.

[7] In 2021, it was designated as a terrorist organization along with 5 other NGOs (Addameer, Al-Haq, Bisan Center for Research and Development, Defence for Children International – Palestine, and the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees), by the Israeli government.

[11] On 18 August 2022, Israeli forces raided the headquarters of the six organisations along with the Union of Health Work Committees (outlawed in 2020) in Ramallah and al-Bireh, removed computers and equipment and ordered their closure.

Letters sent to these organizations warned them that they were "personally, criminally and civilly liable under Australian and US law" which could include "liability for future terrorist attacks carried out by the PFLP.

According to the allegations, UAWC has used money to pay two men Israel accuses of carrying out a bombing in the West Bank that killed an Israeli teen named Rina Shnerb.