“Israel has publicly stated that a significant number UNRWA employees are members of terrorist organizations. However, Israel has not yet provided evidence to support this,” according to the 54-page report. final report, Independent review of mechanisms and procedures to ensure UNRWA’s adherence to the principle of humanitarian neutrality.
The UN Secretary-General, who received the final report at the weekend, appointed the independent review group days after Israel announced its charges against UNRWA, which has 30,000 staff and serves 5.9 million people. Palestinian refugees in the war-torn West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.
The much-awaited final report shows that UNRWA, established by the General Assembly in 1949, has extensive tools at its disposal to ensure it is unbiased in its work and regularly provides Israel employee list and “The Government of Israel has not informed UNRWA of any concerns regarding any UNRWA staff based on this employee list as of 2011.”
UNRWA has the ‘most complex’ rules in the UN system
“A set of rules, mechanisms and procedures are in place [at UNRWA] Catherine Colonna, former French foreign minister and head of the assessment team, told journalists at United Nations Headquarters after the report: launch. “Whatever needs to be improved will be improved. I am confident that implementing these measures will help UNRWA fulfill its mandate.”
Strongly encouraging “the international community to stand with the agency so that it can carry out its mandate and overcome the challenges while they are there,” she said, “this is the purpose of the review.” .
During the nine-week review of existing mechanisms, the team conducted more than 200 interviews, met with Israeli and Palestinian authorities and directly contacted 47 countries and organizations, coming up with a set of 50 recommendations on issues ranging from education to new testing procedures for employee recruitment.
Flour distributed in Rafah, Gaza.
The report directs the new UN action plan
The report’s recommendations include the creation of a centralized “neutral investigative unit,” Implement an updated Code of Ethics and related training for all employees, and identify and implement Additional ways to screen UNRWA applicants at the early stages of the recruitment process.
The report also recommends exploring the possibility Third-party monitoring for sensitive projects and establish a framework with interested donors to ensure transparency.
in one declare On Monday, the Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General said United Nations Director-General accept the recommendations contained in Ms. Colonna’s report. He agreed with Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini that UNRWA, with the support of the Secretary-General, would Set up an action plan to implement the recommendations contained in the final report.”
The compensation claims caused financial hardship for UNRWA
According to the assessment team’s final report, Israel’s claims against UNRWA resulted in approximately $450 million in funding being suspended.
The direct impact of Israel’s accusations quickly hampered UNRWA’s ability to continue its work. It operates entirely on voluntary contributions, UNRWA found Major donors, including the United States, canceled or suspended funding for the agency.
In April, Washington banned funding to UNRWA until at least 2025, but other donors have pledged additional funding or restored their funding.
New report recommends increasing the frequency and increasing transparency of UNRWA’s communications with donors about its financial situation as well as allegations and violations of neutrality. The The review team recommends regular updates and “integrity briefings” for donors interested in supporting UNRWA on integrity and related issues.
Findings on UNRWA schools
According to the report, the UN agency carries out its obligation to ensure the neutrality of 1,000 installations, including schools, healthcare centers and warehouses, and stated that “the challenges of security and capacity may hinder” existing due diligence mechanisms.
The review team said UNRWA “has continuously strived to ensure neutrality in education” as it provides primary and preparatory education to 500,000 students in 706 schools with 20,000 educational staff, including in Gaza, where all children are currently out of school after the attacks destroy the region’s education system amid the ongoing conflict.
UNRWA Office in Gaza.
Textbook claims of anti-Semitism
Investigating “persistent criticism, primarily from Israel,” of the presence of hate speech, incitement to violence and anti-Semitism in the Palestinian Authority’s educational materials, the review team has examines three major international reviews and studies.
The new report found that bias and non-compliance were identified, but did not provide evidence of anti-Semitic references. The third report, Eckert’s report, identified two examples displaying anti-Semitic content, but noted that one example had been removed and the other had been significantly altered.
Thus, report recommends a number of actions, including a review of the content of all textbooks with host countries, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
UNRWA remains a key ‘lifeline’ for Palestine
The report states that “in the absence of a political solution between Israel and the Palestinians, UNRWA remains key in providing humanitarian aid and essential social services, especially health health and education, for Palestinian refugees in Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank” and “irreplaceable and indispensable for the economic and human development of the Palestinian people”.
“Besides, Many consider UNRWA a humanitarian lifeline,” According to the report.
The United Nations spokesman said on Monday he counted on the cooperation of the donor community, host countries and staff to cooperate fully in implementing the final recommendations of the report. new fox.
“Going forward, the Secretary-General calls on all stakeholders to actively support UNRWA, as it is the lifeline for Palestinian refugees in the region,” he said.
Other top UN officials have voiced strong support for the agency, calling on donors to reverse funding cuts and allow UNRWA to do its work, especially in Gaza .
At the end of March, Israel announced it would refused UNRWA’s request to provide aid into northern Gaza, where one famine is going on like the Israeli government continues to block or severely delay shipments of life-saving aidaccording to United Nations officials, who issued an appeal last week to apply for emergency funding.
The United Nations continues to provide humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Lazzarini: The report will further strengthen UNRWA
UNRWA chief Lazzarini welcomed the report’s findings and recommendations.
“UNRWA is developing an action planwith a timeline and budget to deliver the report’s recommendations,” he said in one declare in Monday.
He said implementing some of the recommendations would require broad engagement of staff and partners, including Member States, host countries and donor countries, adding that the agency The United Nations looks forward to working with all relevant stakeholders to implement the recommendations.
“UNRWA is resolute in its efforts to apply the humanitarian values and principles of the United Nations,” he said. “The recommendations in this report will further strengthen our efforts and response during one of the most difficult times in the history of the Palestinian people.”
The first of two investigations
Following Israel’s accusations against UNRWA in late January, the UN agency immediately fired the staff in question and demanded a swift, impartial investigation. The head of the UN gave orders to the two.
A few days later, Secretary General Appoint an independent review teamled by Ms. Colonna and researched by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Michelsen Institute in Norway and the Danish Institute for Human Rights, to investigate the process of ensuring neutrality in UNRWA’s work.
At the same time, the UN chief ordered the UN’s top watchdog, the Office of Internal Oversight (OIOS), to investigate the veracity of Israel’s claims against the 12 staff members. UNRWA.
In InitialOIOS investigators contacted the relevant Member States, visited UNRWA headquarters in Jordan and reviewed initial information the agency received from Israeli authorities and from a variety of sources, including information published through the media and other mass agencies.
That investigation is ongoing.
