Results for: Neutrality

Germany has announced plans to resume cooperation with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza following an independent review of its neutrality. This decision follows similar moves by Australia, Canada, Sweden, and Japan. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has redeployed two reserve brigades from the northern border to Gaza for defensive and tactical missions as it prepares for an offensive in Rafah. The redeployment comes amidst concerns over potential harm to civilians, with over half of Gaza’s population seeking refuge in Rafah. The region continues to face unrest, with Israel and the US pitted against Iran and allied militant groups, raising fears of a full-scale regional war.

An independent review of the neutrality of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) found that Israel never expressed concerns about anyone on the staff lists it has received annually since 2011. This contradicts Israel’s allegations that 12 employees participated in Hamas attacks. The review, led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, cited serious gaps in UNRWA’s implementation of neutrality principles, including staff expressing political views and textbooks with “problematic” content. Despite making 50 recommendations, Israel’s Foreign Ministry called the report insufficient and urged donor countries to withhold funding. UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, welcomed the report and called on Israel to “reconsider its position and fully cooperate” with the agency.

An independent panel reviewing UNRWA’s neutrality following allegations of Hamas affiliation released its findings, providing recommendations to strengthen the agency’s integrity and address concerns.

An independent review has made several recommendations to strengthen the neutrality of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), following allegations of staff involvement in the October 2023 Hamas attacks. Key recommendations include establishing an advisory body on neutrality, implementing stricter staff screening procedures, and fostering engagement with donor nations.

An independent review of the UNRWA found that while the agency had implemented measures to maintain neutrality, further improvements were needed. Specifically, the report called for more robust vetting of staff members and regular inspections of agency facilities. However, the review did not substantiate Israeli allegations that a significant number of UNRWA employees were tied to militant groups.

An independent review of the neutrality of the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) found that Israel had not raised any concerns about staff lists received since 2011. The review also highlighted gaps in the agency’s implementation of neutrality principles, including staff expressing political views, questionable textbook content, and union disruptions.

Israel has criticized the United Nations for its handling of Hamas infiltration within the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Foreign Minister Israel Katz alleges that Hamas’ presence has compromised UNRWA’s neutrality and called for its closure. The accusations include over 2,000 UNRWA workers being Hamas members, and 12 alleged participants in an attack against Israel. Katz argues that UNRWA-Gaza is part of the problem, not the solution, and urges donor countries to redirect funds to other organizations. A report commissioned by the UN acknowledged flaws in UNRWA but emphasized the importance of its services to Palestinian refugees.

An independent review of the U.N. agency assisting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has found that Israel never expressed concerns about staff lists provided to them since 2011. The review was conducted after Israel alleged that 12 UNRWA employees participated in Hamas attacks in October 2022. The report cited serious gaps in implementation of neutrality procedures, including staff expressing political views, problematic textbook content, and union disruptions.

An independent review of the United Nations agency assisting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, found that it has robust procedures for upholding neutrality, but identified gaps in implementation, such as staff expressing political views and unions disrupting operations. One key finding was that Israel never raised concerns about staff lists provided by UNRWA despite allegations of Hamas membership.

An independent review of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, has found that Israel has yet to provide evidence to support its claims that a significant number of agency staff are members of terrorist organizations. The review also found that UNRWA has robust policies in place to ensure staff neutrality, although issues persist.

Israel has rejected the findings, saying that they only provide “cosmetic fixes” and reasserting its position that UNRWA is intertwined with Hamas and cannot play a future role in Gaza.