ZThere are new details about the allegations against employees of the United Nations Palestinian relief agency UNRWA. Israel has provided the aid agency with information that twelve employees were involved in the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th. According to this Israeli dossier, one employee is accused of helping to kidnap an Israeli woman, one is accused of being involved in a massacre on a kibbutz, and another is accused of distributing ammunition. This is reported by the “New York Times”.
Ten of these twelve employees are considered Hamas members, and another has connections to “Islamic Jihad”. Seven of them are also teachers at UNRWA schools. The Israeli secret services were able to trace the movements of six of the suspects within Israel on October 7th using their cell phone data, and telephone conversations in Gaza were intercepted for others about their involvement in the attack.
UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini initially announced that his aid agency had received the information from the Israelis. The employees in question – two of whom are dead – were terminated. An investigation was announced. The report caused horror and many donor countries suspended payments to UNRWA, including America and Germany. Warnings were expressed from the UN that UNRWA would soon have to stop its aid in the Gaza Strip. In fact, the aid organization does not have any major reserves. UNRWA warns that the money only lasts until the end of February.
The situation is difficult for Berlin
While, according to the New York Times, the Israeli dossier had already been presented to the American government on Friday, federal government spokesmen stated on Monday that they had no knowledge of it. The situation is difficult for Berlin. The fact that the Foreign Office and the Federal Development Ministry announced on Saturday that they would not release any new funds for UNRWA had more of a symbolic value – all funds for the 2023 financial year have been paid out and a new budget has not yet been decided, and therefore no payments are due. But the joint communication already made it clear how important UNRWA is for providing care to the Palestinian population. Since October 7, UNRWA has been providing humanitarian and development assistance to provide people in Gaza with food, water and emergency shelter.
In Berlin it is emphasized that other organizations are also active in the area and that seven million euros have just been transferred to the International Red Cross and UNICEF. However, last year UNRWA alone received 83 million of the approximately 220 million euros from the Federal Foreign Office's budget for humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip. All aid had already been checked after October 7th and no contradictions were encountered, it is said. A quick investigation is now expected – talks between UNRWA and donor countries are scheduled.
The Israeli ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, spoke of an outrageous event that was “just the tip of the iceberg.” “UNRWA has been working against its mandate for years, spreading hate speech and thwarting efforts for peace,” he told the FAZ. “It was high time for the international community to finally take action and withhold funding.” But that wasn’t enough, it was needed “a major investigation without blinders”. UNRWA in its current form is “not part of the solution, but rather an obstacle on the path to peace”.