Palestinian disappointment has intensified following the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 26 January, which, while demanding Israel take more stringent measures to protect Palestinians and prevent potential acts leading to genocide, did not extend to ordering a ceasefire in Gaza.
This disillusionment is compounded by a critical funding crisis at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), following allegations of staff involvement in the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the nine countries that have suspended their support – the UK, Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the US – to reconsider, emphasising the dire needs of the populations served by UNRWA.
The agency, vital for providing healthcare, education and humanitarian aid to Palestinians, is on the brink of suspending its lifesaving assistance in Gaza, where over 2 million people depend on it for survival amidst the ongoing war.
UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, has expressed shock at the suspension of funding, especially given the immediate action taken by UNRWA, including the dismissal of staff accused and the initiation of an independent investigation.
He stressed the irresponsibility of penalising the entire agency and the community it supports over the alleged actions of a few individuals, particularly during such a critical time of war and political crisis in the region.
Amidst these developments, the intelligence that led to the suspension of UNRWA’s funding has come under scrutiny. A senior Israeli official revealed that information from the Shin Bet and Israeli military intelligence, based largely on the interrogation of militants, indicated active participation of UNRWA staffers in militant activities. Critics argue for the need for independent corroboration of such intelligence.
Moreover, during her address to the Knesset on 4 January, Noga Argell, a former official at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, openly stated that “it’s impossible to win the war if we do not obliterate UNRWA, and this destruction must begin immediately,” a statement that represents a particular viewpoint within Israel that discrediting UNRWA is essential for strategic reasons.
She argued for immediate destruction of UNRWA, saying “We must act to completely demolish these threats or we will miss the window of opportunity, as has been stated here several times before.”
She recalled that UNRWA operates in territories that Israel captured in 1967, initially at Israel’s request, asserting that “Israel can now request it to stop, and at the same opportunity to renounce the refugee status that it very generously distributes because legally there are international criteria for UNRWA’s documents that can’t be transferred; they need to be nullified as invalid. They should be discarded; those who are entitled should go and verify if they truly qualify.”
