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The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) has accused the Israeli government of engaging in a campaign to obstruct donations to the agency by purchasing ads on Google.
Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General, made this claim in a post on the social media platform X, asserting that Israel’s actions to undermine the agency not only damage its reputation but also endanger the safety of its staff.
Lazzarini has called for an end to these deliberate efforts to spread misinformation and has urged for increased regulation of companies and social media platforms to tackle disinformation and hate speech.
Lazzarini emphasized that misinformation and disinformation are being weaponized in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Israeli government has long been critical of UNRWA, the primary organization providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the occupied territories and supporting Palestinian refugees since 1949.
Israel’s accusations against UNRWA include claims of connections with terrorist organizations and calls for the agency’s closure.
The situation escalated last month when a UN spokesperson condemned Israeli government comments describing Lazzarini as a “terrorist sympathizer.”
David Mencer, an Israeli spokesperson, had accused Lazzarini and UNRWA of being infiltrated by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The UN criticized these comments as “reprehensible” and warned that they jeopardized Lazzarini’s safety.
Earlier this year, Israel also alleged that some UNRWA staff members were involved in the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, which led to a suspension of support from over a dozen international donors.
An independent review authorized by the UN found that Israel had not provided credible evidence to support these claims, and most donors have since resumed their funding.
Moreover, Israeli attacks on Gaza have frequently targeted UNRWA facilities, resulting in the deaths of 212 staff members and damage to at least 70 percent of the agency’s schools.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israeli military actions in Gaza have resulted in at least 40,691 deaths and 94,060 injuries. In contrast, it is reported that at least 1,139 people were killed in the Hamas-led attacks on Israel, based on official Israeli statistics.
I am a dynamic professional, specializing in Peace and Conflict Studies, Conflict Management and Resolution, and International Relations. My expertise is particularly focused on South Asian Conflicts and the intricacies of the Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific Politics. With my skills as a Content Writer, I serve as a bridge between academia and the public, translating complex global issues into accessible narratives. My passion for fostering understanding and cooperation on the national and international stage drives me to make meaningful contributions to peace and global discourse.
