Israel has not presented credible evidence to support its claims that UNRWA staff were members of “terrorist” groups, an independent review for the United Nations led by a former French foreign minister has said. The claims against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) led to a massive funding deficit as several donor countries announced cuts.

Jerusalem

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Israel-Gaza War

Israel has not provided substantial evidence to back its accusations that staff members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) are connected to "terrorist" groups, according to findings from an independent investigation overseen by a former French Foreign Minister. The allegations against UNRWA led to a significant shortfall in funding after multiple donor countries decided to reduce their contributions.

The independent review, spanning 47 pages, was initiated by the UN, with Catherine Colonna, a former French Foreign Minister, at the helm, alongside three European human rights investigative bodies. The findings concluded that UNRWA has established a comprehensive array of mechanisms and procedures to adhere to and exceed the humanitarian principle of neutrality. Given the challenging and complex circumstances in which it operates, UNRWA's system for ensuring neutrality is notably more sophisticated than those of other UN organizations or agencies.

The investigation, which took nine weeks to complete, involved extensive interviews and site visits, including in Gaza. It was commissioned by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following uncorroborated claims by Israel in January that UNRWA personnel were affiliated with terrorist organizations. According to the report, Israel has failed to present any evidence to substantiate these allegations. Furthermore, UNRWA routinely shares a complete roster of its employees with relevant nations, including Israel, and since 2011, the Israeli government has not notified UNRWA of any concerns regarding its staff based on these lists.

Although the report outlines 50 areas for improvement within UNRWA, such as enhancing international representation in management positions, updating donor countries more frequently on neutrality matters, and broadening community awareness, it effectively clears UNRWA of deliberate and overt prejudice. Unfortunately, the financial repercussions of Israel's claims have led to a critical funding crisis for UNRWA. Funding was suspended by 16 countries, and despite some resuming their contributions, UNRWA currently faces enough financial resources only until June.



Israel gave no evidence UNRWA staff linked to ‘terrorism’

Humanitarian organizations are bound by principles of neutrality, and UNRWA has not only met but exceeded those principles. That, according to a newly released 47-page independent report, which was commissioned by the UN and led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, in conjunction with three human rights investigative bodies from Europe. Overall, the findings of the review are that UNRWA is in place of a very significant number of mechanisms and procedures to ensure compliance with the humanitarian principle of neutrality. Actually, it probably has a more developed system than other UN organizations or agencies, which is a necessity considering the very difficult environment, complex and difficult situation in which they operate. The report was nine weeks in the making, and relied on hundreds of interviews and site visits, including in Gaza. It was commissioned by the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, after Israel made unsubstantiated claims in January that UNRWA employees were part of terrorist organizations. Regarding those claims, the final report says, Israel has yet to provide supporting evidence of this. UNRWA gives a full list of all its employees to relevant countries, including Israel, on a regular basis. The Israeli government has not informed UNRWA of any concerns related to any UNRWA staff based on these staff lists since 2011, the report states. The report does highlight 50 recommendations in areas UNRWA can improve, such as more international employees in management roles, more frequent updates to donor countries on neutrality issues, and expanded community awareness. The report largely exonerates UNRWA from any intentional and blatant acts of bias. But the damage from Israel's claims has already been done. 16 countries suspended funding to UNRWA, and while a few of those have since resumed funding once again, UNRWA says they only have enough money to get through June. Gabriel Alzando, Al Jazeera, at the United Nations in New York.

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