UNRWA loses credibility in the wake of recent controversies

Six European countries paused funding for the U.N. refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) on Saturday, following allegations that some of its staff were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Finland on Saturday joined the United States, Australia and Canada in pausing funding to the aid agency, a critical source of support for people in Gaza, after the allegations by Israel.

"Palestinians in Gaza did not need this additional collective punishment," Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA commissioner-general, said on X. "This stains all of us."

The agency said on Friday it had opened an investigation into several employees and severed ties with those people.

Philippe Lazzarini is either displaying naivety or bad faith

Encouraging more donor suspensions, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said UNRWA should be replaced once fighting in the enclave dies down and accused it of ties to Islamist militants in Gaza.

"In Gaza's rebuilding, @UNRWA must be replaced with agencies dedicated to genuine peace and development," he added on X.

Deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq, asked about Katz's remarks, said: “We are not responding to rhetoric. UNRWA overall had had a strong record, which we have repeatedly underscored.”

Lazzarini said the decision by the nine countries threatened its humanitarian work across the region, especially in Gaza.

“It is shocking to see a suspension of funds to the Agency in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, especially given the immediate action that UNRWA took by terminating their contracts and asking for a transparent independent investigation," he said in a statement.

AGENCY PLAYS BIG ROLE IN GAZA AID

UNRWA was set up to help refugees of the 1948 war at Israel's founding and provides education, health and aid services to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. It helps about two thirds of Gaza's 2.3 million population and has played a pivotal aid role during the war that Israel launched to eliminate Hamas after the Oct. 7 attacks.

Announcing the investigation, Lazzarini said on Friday that he had decided to terminate the contracts of some staff members to protect the agency's ability to deliver humanitarian assistance.

Lazzarini did not disclose the number of employees allegedly involved in the attacks, nor the nature of their alleged involvement. He said, however, that "any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror" would be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.

The Foreign Ministry in Germany, a major donor to UNRWA, welcomed UNRWA's investigation, saying it was deeply concerned about the allegations raised against agency employees.

"We expect Lazzarini to make it clear within UNRWA's workforce that all forms of hatred and violence are totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated," it said on X.

(Reporting by James Davey in London, Gavin Jones in Rome, Dan williams in Jerusalem, Nidal al-Mugrahbi in Doha, Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Thomas Escritt in Berlin, Michelle Nichols in New YorkEditing by William Maclean, Andrew Cawthorne, Frances Kerry and Nick Macfie)

For the past decade, UNRWA has faced accusations of playing a murky role in Gaza.

Its facilities, including schools, hospitals, and warehouses, have been alleged to be used by terrorist organizations operating in Gaza.

These recent revelations are not surprising to those familiar with the political and military situation in the Gaza Strip.