UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday that his organization is taking action regarding Israeli allegations that several UNRWA staff members had ties with Hamas. (UNRWA Ties to Oct. 7 Massacre Exposed – US Suspending Funding).
Earlier, several countries, including the United States, the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Australia and Canada, declared a suspension of funding for UNRWA due to concerns about potential links between some of the organization’s employees and Hamas. By Sunday evening, France had done the same as well.
In response, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini directed the dismissal of several agency staff members who were allegedly connected to the Hamas militants’ attack on southern Israel last autumn.
“The United Nations is taking swift action following the extremely serious allegations against several UN Relief and Works Agency staff members. An investigation by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) was immediately activated,” Secretary-General Guterres said in a statement, noting that “Of the 12 people implicated, nine were immediately identified and terminated by the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini; one is confirmed dead, and the identity of the two others is being clarified.”
“Any UN employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution,” Guterres declared, but also noted that, “Meanwhile, 2 million civilians in Gaza depend on critical aid from UNRWA for daily survival.”
So, let’s let the Hamas-affiliated agency take care of them.
The secretary-general said he understood the concerns of the countries that suspended their contributions, confessing that “I was myself horrified by these accusations, he nevertheless added, “I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations.”
“The abhorrent alleged acts of these staff members must have consequences,” he conceded, “But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized. The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met.”
And so, like everything else that defines Hamas, it’s all about their hostages – in this case, about two million of them.
