UNRWA Faces Scrutiny and Funding Suspensions Amid Findings of Staffers’ Potential Terrorist Ties
A United Nations internal investigation has concluded that nine of 19 Palestinian staffers accused by Israel “may have been involved” in the terror attacks on October 7 in southern Israel. These findings have prompted the termination of their employment by the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq announced the conclusion of the investigation, conducted by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), stating that the employment of the implicated individuals will be terminated “in the interests of the agency.” The investigation, which spanned several months, found insufficient or no evidence regarding the remaining ten staffers.
“The employment of these individuals will be terminated in the interests of the agency,” Haq stated to reporters, marking a significant step in response to the severe allegations.
The probe began after Israel accused 19 UNRWA employees of involvement in the attacks. Of these, nine were found to have possible ties, while the remaining cases lacked sufficient evidence to confirm their involvement. “Appropriate measures will be taken in due course, in conformity with UNRWA regulations and rules,” Haq noted, without providing further details.
The accusations and subsequent investigation have cast a long shadow over UNRWA, which plays a crucial role in supporting over two million Palestinians in Gaza. The agency’s credibility took a hit when more than a dozen donor states, including its largest funder, the United States, suspended their financial support following the initial allegations in January.
Israel’s UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan, dismissed the investigation’s findings as “too little and too late,” calling for the immediate shutdown of UNRWA and the resignation of the UN secretary-general. “Israel needs to act quickly now to outlaw UNRWA, declare it a terrorist organization and expel its leaders from Israeli territory and not allow them to enter,” Erdan urged, intensifying the diplomatic friction.
The Israeli parliament is currently considering a bill to designate UNRWA as a terrorist organization, which, if passed, would significantly alter the agency’s operations and influence in the region.
UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini reiterated his condemnation of the October 7 attacks and called for the immediate release of all hostages. “UNRWA is committed to continue upholding the fundamental principles and values of the United Nations, including the humanitarian principle of neutrality, and to ensuring that all its staff abide by the Agency’s policy on outside and political activities,” Lazzarini emphasized.
The investigation faced significant challenges, as noted by UN spokesperson Haq. The evidence provided by Israel remained largely unverified due to security concerns preventing investigators from traveling to Gaza. Instead, some accused individuals provided video statements responding to the allegations.
Haq clarified that the UN investigation was not a criminal probe but a fact-finding mission to determine if internal administrative rules had been violated and to recommend appropriate disciplinary actions. The confidential report was submitted to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on July 31.
Despite the controversy, most donor states resumed funding to UNRWA following an independent review of the agency’s neutrality by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna in April, with the notable exception of Washington.
UNRWA, which employs about 13,000 Palestinian staffers in Gaza, has faced devastating losses since the conflict erupted in October. Over 200 staffers have been killed, and the war has resulted in nearly 40,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry, a figure that does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
As the international community grapples with these findings, the future of UNRWA and its critical humanitarian mission hangs in the balance, with potential repercussions for the fragile stability in the region. The investigation’s results have not only intensified calls for accountability but also spotlight the complex dynamics at play in the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
