Furthermore, OCHA rarely, if ever, cites relevant Israeli government information, including detailed statistics published by the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israel Defense Forces, or the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
OCHA regularly places sole blame for the continuation of the conflict on Israel, alleging that the “situation is characterized by a protracted occupation,” “the systematic denial of Palestinian rights,” and a “lack of respect for international law, and a lack of accountability for violations.”
As part of its agenda, OCHA publishes weekly reports on “Protection of Civilians,” monthly “Humanitarian Bulletins,” fact sheets, case studies, and various other publications that promote a narrative based solely on Palestinian victimization and Israeli aggression, while minimizing Palestinian terror, rejectionism, incitement, and legitimate Israeli national security concerns.
These publications often repeat the unverified and unreliable claims of political advocacy NGOs, as well as information provided by the PLO and Hamas. OCHA’s claims are subsequently referenced, cited, and quoted at an extremely high volume by international media and government officials, as well as in official UN documents, including 60 references in the Commission of Inquiry (COI) on the 2014 Gaza War.
OCHA’s website highlights a number of biased videos reflecting the Palestinian narrative, including “How long does it take to demolish a house?,” “Gaza: Only Rubble Where Homes Once Stood,” and “Walled Horizons.” These videos show scenes of destruction and despair, while completely omitting Palestinian terror, including rocket attacks against Israeli population centers and tunnels running beneath the border into Israel. The videos are devoid of all context and are aimed solely at demonizing Israel.
Similarly, OCHA repeatedly accuses Israel of maintaining a “blockade” on Gaza, causing an “acute water and energy crisis,” as well as other such allegations that distort the situation in Gaza.
OCHA’s politicization and bias appears to go beyond the Arab-Israeli conflict. For example, on December 29, 2015, it published a “2016 Syrian Arab Republic Humanitarian Response Plan.” According to media reports, after consulting the Syrian government, OCHA “altered dozens of passages and omitted pertinent information to paint the government of Bashar al-Assad in a more favorable light.”