After terror allegations: audit of UN Palestine Relief Agency begins

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Led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, the aim is to assess the extent to which UNRWA has complied with or violated measures to maintain neutrality. The group can also make suggestions for improved protective measures and organizational changes. An interim report is scheduled for the end of March.

UNRWA has been in the news for several weeks because Israel accuses a dozen of its employees of being involved in the terrorist attacks by the Islamist Hamas on October 7. Israel also claims that the aid organization has been completely infiltrated by Hamas. Several Western countries have frozen payments to UNRWA over the allegations, including the two largest donors, the US and Germany. UN Secretary General António Guterres promised comprehensive information. The collaboration with a number of employees was terminated immediately.

When asked, the committee initially did not provide details on how and where its work will begin. Colonna, 67, will work with experts from the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Michelsen Institute in Norway and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.

UNRWA has been specifically addressing the needs of Palestinian refugees for decades, including operating educational and healthcare facilities. In total, more than 30,000 people work for the organization, of which approximately 13,000 in the Gaza Strip alone. There, UNRWA is currently seen as having no alternative to providing humanitarian care to more than two million civilians suffering from the consequences of the Gaza war.

A second internal investigation by the United Nations is taking place simultaneously with the independent audit. This concerns the individual terror accusations against twelve employees of the UN aid organization and will reportedly last several weeks. (SDA)

Source: Blick