The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have seen the Netanyahu government's report and reported some details about the employees of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees: Seven are professors, 10% of the staff have ties to Hamas. The UN: Do not block the funds, otherwise the situation in Gaza will worsen drastically
The Israeli dossier containing the details that led Benjamin Netanyahu's government to accuse 12 employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) of involvement in the October 7 massacre carried out by Hamas militants is ended up in the hands of some US officials and then in the editorial offices of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
This file lists the names and roles of humanitarian workers who are alleged to be accomplices of the terrorists. The New York Times writes that on October 7, thanks to cell phone lines, Israeli intelligence was able to reconstruct the movements of six men inside Israel and intercept others as they discussed their involvement in the attack. According to the report, three received the message to report to the locations from which the militiamen then set out on the raids.
One of them was also asked to bring rocket-propelled grenades from home.
Seven of the defendants are teachers – of mathematics and Arabic -; two worked in other roles in schools and the other three were employed as clerks, social workers and warehouse managers.
Among all the names and stories, a few specific details stand out: a school counselor from Khan Younis kidnapped an Israeli woman with his son; A social worker from Nuseirat is said to have helped bring a dead Israeli soldier to Gaza and distribute ammunition on the day of the attack.
The Wall Street Journal adds that some Israeli intelligence agencies estimate that about 1,200 of the approximately 12,000 UNRWA employees in Gaza have ties to Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and about half have close relatives who belong to militant Islamist groups.
The Israeli allegations against UNRWA staff have led to ten countries – including Italy – declaring a funding freeze for the United Nations agency, which immediately following the news made the decision to deport the twelve men accused of complicity (two) , to dismiss and to initiate investigations of these would have died). UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who immediately said he was “appalled”, yesterday called on the countries that have suspended funding to change their minds and continue funding UNRWA's work, which is vital in the Gaza Strip .
Since 1949, the organization has served and managed over five million Palestinian refugees living in Gaza and other Middle Eastern countries. If UNRWA's presence has always been fundamental to stability in the Gaza Strip, its role at this moment of war is even more important.
Also yesterday, Corriere della Sera interviewed the agency's spokesperson, Tamara Alrifai, who said: “If the ten countries do not change their minds, in a month we will no longer be able to work and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza will turn into hell.” .” This means that from March one million four hundred thousand war refugees would be at risk of being without help.
In addition to the allegations against the 12 employees, there has been talk in recent weeks of a chat in which agency employees celebrated the October 7 massacre.
Israel has historically been highly critical of UNRWA, which the Jerusalem government says is an obstacle to resolving the conflict, according to the New York Times. We read: Its very existence would prevent Palestinian refugees from integrating into new communities. Netanyahu accused the UN agency of having close ties to Hamas and hiding weapons and militia members. For the Israelis, the dossier is likely to be confirmation of these statements.
But on the other hand, there are those who are sure that UNRWA is also “useful” for Israel because it cares for almost two million refugees who would otherwise have to be looked after by the Jerusalem government.
According to spokesperson Alrifai, the methods used to recruit UNRWA workers are again rigorous: “Every worker takes hours of training. We can vote, but we cannot take on political roles. We follow lessons on proper use of social media and language and always learn to be “good humanitarian servants.” But that wasn't enough. It is clear that in a complicated context like that of the Gaza Strip, plagued by Israeli bombs and administered by Hamas for 20 years, it is not easy to have control over everyone's relationships and activities.
Today, Gazans are thinking about how to defend themselves against the next rocket, how to provide food and a safe, warm place for their children. UNRWA does not comment on the details of the dossier, but the United Nations calls for the Palestinian population not to suffer for the mistake and complicity of a few.
Corriere della Sera is also on WhatsApp. Just click here to subscribe to the channel and stay up to date.
January 29, 2024 (changed January 29, 2024 | 2:59 p.m.)
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED