Probing UNRWA's Neutrality

"[There have been] instances of staff publicly expressing political views [and] host countries with problematic content being used in some UNRWA schools."

"[UNRWA itself admits to finding in a review of textbooks] issues of concern to UN values, guidance, or position on the conflict. Even if marginal, these issues constitute a grave violation of neutrality."

"Among the various issues, recurrent ones were the use of historical maps in a non-historical context; e.g., without labelling Israel; naming Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine; naming cities in Israel as Palestinian cities; the use of the word Zionist, [e.g., 'Zionist occupation' referring to Israel]."

"The presence of even a small fraction of problematic content in textbooks, supplemental material and teaching content remains a serious issue. More work needs to be undertaken between UNRWA and the Palestinian Authority to pursue the replacement of problematic content and to avoid the promotion of discrimination and incitement to hatred and violence and the spreading of antisemitic views that contradict UN values and UNESCO standards."

United Nations investigation of UNRWA connections to Hamas

UN Sec/Gen Antonio Guterres speaks on special report presentation April 14, 2024  AP

The United Nations report on its investigation carried out by a specially-appointed review group into the United Nations Relief Works Agency neutrality during the terrorist assault in southern Israel when proof emerged that Israel's long-held suspicions that UNRWA had become an agency-arm of Hamas  by permitting its infrastructure to be abused by terrorists did not definitively find that Israel's accusations were misplaced. Israel had charged that a dozen UNRWA staff members had directly involved themselves in the October 7 terrorist attack, while many others supported the bloodbath,

 

The UN report managed to sidestep the critical issue of direct involvement of UNRWA employees, focusing instead on recommendations to improve the aid organization's neutrality. After the report's release, much of legacy media selected portions of the report to vindicate UNRWA. The headlines that drew public attention were those portions that reprimanded Israel for its decision not to cooperate with the investigation, and to provide evidence of UNRWA staff participation in the massacre in southern Israel. Similar past UN investigations gave Israel ample reason to withhold its participation.

The discovery by Israel of Hamas using UNRWA facilities that included its headquarters and its schools as bases of operations and for military storage centres was proven by their very existence. That alone should be recognized as ample proof, but UNRWA staff have held to their denials of having had any knowledge of such collaboration with Hamas, despite the tunnels that were dug under the facilities where they operated the UN mission. Electric cables running from beneath their building? Rockets stored below school classrooms? No idea...

That discovery that under UNRWA headquarters a massive Hamas data centre existed? How utterly amazing; how did that happen? Somehow, the international media managed to overlook the UN report's wan agreement, though equivocating, that the advisory committee believed oversight and] stronger governance structures [are critical for UNRWA to meet full neutrality protocols, along with support from the international community.

People walk past the damaged Gaza City headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on February 15, 2024. (AFP)

 "UNRWA's facilities have sometimes been misused for political or military gains, undermining its neutrality."

"If the prevention of and response to the political misuse of UNRWA installations has been efficient, the agency has had more difficulty appropriately addressing the use of its installations for military purposes."

"Preventive measures, enhanced monitoring, and transparent reporting are necessary to address this issue effectively."

United Nations internal investigation of UNRWA participation in Hamas operations