UNRWA Minimises Staff Dismissals

Results of the United Nations’ investigation by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) into allegations of UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff being involved in the October 7th Massacre were announced on Monday by spokesman Farhan Haq.

Of nineteen staff members who were investigated, no evidence of involvement was found in one case, insufficient evidence in the case of nine others, and stronger evidence in the case of the other nine.

But while that evidence was strong enough for UNRWA to dismiss those nine from their jobs, it was described in extremely vague terms, with Haq saying,

"For nine people, the evidence was sufficient to conclude that they
may have been involved in the 7th October attacks."

Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch, says the language of the report was even more vague:

‘If the evidence is authenticated, it could indicate that they may have been involved.’

He went on to describe the UN announcement as bizarre, because UNRWA announced back in January that they had fired twelve employees who were implicated in the massacre and that they would investigate further. Six months later, all they can say is,  that ‘now we have really fired nine people.’

In response to Monday’s announcement, Israel`s Ambassador to the UN described the investigation as a "disgrace" and "too little too late", saying that,

“Israel has provided the UN with precise details of over a hundred UNRWA employees
who are members of the terrorist organisation Hamas.”

The issue of UNRWA staff being linked to Hamas is a long-running one for the Israelis that has given them major problems in their war with Hamas. Their government highlighted recently the evasiveness of UNRWA’s Commissioner General, Philippe Lazzarini, in responding to their complaints.