Battle for Truth about UNRWA

Responding to accusations of complicity with Hamas terrorists, UNRWA commissioned an independent report into the situation, led by Catherine Colonna, a former foreign minister of France.

When the commission published its report in April 2024, the UN trumpeted the finding that UNRWA has extensive tools in place to ensure it remains unbiased in its work.

However, AP News noted that the report also said there are serious gaps in implementation of the UN principle of neutrality, including staff publicly expressing political views, using textbooks with ‘problematic content’ in schools the agency runs, and staff unions disrupting operations.

Voice of America found the commission’s report also said 3.85% of all pages in the schoolbooks contained "issues of concern" to UN values or guidance, and concluded that,

‘Even if marginal, these issues constitute a grave violation of neutrality.’

The report went on to say more work needs to be done between UNRWA and the Palestinian Authority to avoid promotion of discrimination and incitement to hatred and violence and the spreading of anti-Semitic views.

Yet many Western nations have resumed their funding of UNRWA, including the UK now that a Labour Government has taken over.

In June 2024, UN Watch, a non-governmental organisation, accused the UN of showing contempt for the Colonna report by failing to implement its recommendations and allowing UNRWA leaders to continue to promote terrorism.

In particular, it highlighted the case of the head of UNRWA’s teachers union in Lebanon, Fathi al-Sharif, who it claims is part of Hamas and an overt promoter of terrorism. Yet UNRWA refuses to dismiss him.

There is a fierce battle being fought to spread the truth about UNRWA’s links to Hamas.

When UN Watch’s director, Hillel Neuer, appeared before members of the Dutch Parliament in June, he was once again asked if UN Watch seeks to check the facts with UNRWA before publishing these serious accusations.

His response was clear and concise: UN Watch reached out to UNRWA in August, September and November 2015, receiving no reply; and also contacted it again in 2018, 2021 and 2023. The head of UNRWA refuses to meet with Hillel Neuer.