The FT has posted a very level-headed report on the work of UNRWA, the United Nations agency dealing with refugees in Gaza.
In that report, it notes that after 7 October, Israel secured the UNRWA staff database and then compared that with a list of Hamas members it thought had been engaged in the raids on that day. In addition to the 12 already dealt with by UNRWA to meet an Israeli demand for action, Israel has suggested that another 190 employees were affiliated to Hamas. Amongst 30,000 employees, I am staggered that the figure is so small.
What I had not previously known, however, was that, as the FT Notes:
UNRWA had sent staff lists to Israel every year, and never before received objections, said another person familiar with the situation.
That is an extraordinary degree of cooperation. It does not suggest that the UNRWA thought it had anything to hide. It suggests, very strongly, that it had tried very hard to avoid this situation happening.
So, the question is, why did Israel choose to exploit this when it did after the ICJ ruling?
And why have countries like the UK decided to support its genocide when it is clear that there is no investigation to do or findings to be established because the investigation has already been done?
And what is the UK's reaction going to be when UNRWA runs out of money soon, and no agency steps in because they cannot, meaning food and medicine supplies will fail in Gaza, as they surely will?
There is no one to take on the UNRWA role.
Two million people's fate hangs on the survival of UNRWA. Nothing else exists between them and disaster.
And meanwhile, countries are playing politics.
The FT is clearly sickened by this. So am I.
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The Scottish government is continuing to support UNWRA. Are you ‘YES’ yet?
There is no independent police force or courts to appeal to, in Gaza.
Therefore Hamas have the power to coerce some people to help them. They could get them to provide transport, food or use of facilities. It is not the same as taking part in armed resistance. We don’t know exactly what they are accused of.
There is no recognition of this. During the Nazi occupation of Europe, local authorities often had to work with the occupying forces to keep services running. It did not mean they approved of them.
It is an excuse to heap further suffering on the population. This country should not be complicit in war crimes.
Doing Israeli’s bidding, as usual, with one hand to our forelock. Immediately Israel says ‘Jump’, we ask ‘how high?’
Sorry, but I’ve been pro-Palestinian since the 1967 War. I was one of the Overseas Students sub-committee in my University’s Student Union, and heard both sides.
Ummm there are two sides to this?
1967 Israel premptively attacks Egypt etc Takes Sinai. 1973 Yom Kippur, Egypt & Saudi Arabia work together & following the Egyptian attack to re-take Sinai – SA cranks oils prices – ushers in a period of high inflation leading to the arrival in gov of neoliberals who, up to that point has littel traction. If we want top wonder what happened 1980 – to now, the blame squarely rests with Israel. & it continues to cause trouble out of all proportion to its size. Bizzare.
Jonathan Cook explains the history of UNRWA on his latest blog.
https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2024-01-30/war-un-refugee-israel-genocide/
UNRWA is separate from the UN’s main refugee agency, the UNHCR, and deals only with Palestinian refugees. Although Israel does not want you to know it, the reason for there being two UN refugee agencies is because Israel and its western backers insisted on the division back in 1948. Why? Because Israel was afraid of the Palestinians falling under the responsibility of the UNHCR’s forerunner, the International Refugee Organisation. The IRO was established in the immediate wake of the Second World War in large part to cope with the millions of European Jews fleeing Nazi atrocities.
Israel did not want the two cases treated as comparable, because it was pushing hard for Jewish refugees to be settled on lands from which it had just expelled Palestinians. Part of the IRO’s mission was to seek the repatriation of European Jews. Israel was worried that very principle might be used both to deny it the Jews it wanted to colonise Palestinian land and to force it to allow the Palestinian refugees to return to their former homes. So in a real sense, UNRWA is Israel’s creature: it was set up to keep the Palestinians a case apart, an anomaly.
Thanks
He is good
I’m glad you think so. You and other readers might like to read another recent post from Jonathon Cook ‘ Israel-Palestine war: Why is the media ignoring evidence of Israel’s own actions on 7 October? ‘
Agreeing with Philip Maughan, I think the article he refers to deserves to be widely read. Jonathan Cook reports on what is now apparently treated as fact by Israeli media, but suppressed and ignored by western media, which is that at least some of the killings and destruction of October 7th attributed to Hamas were actually carried out by the IDF. Here’s a link: https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2024-01-18/israel-october-7-western-media/
Skwawkbox has a similar article: https://skwawkbox.org/2024/01/19/israeli-media-discussing-horrifying-mass-friendly-fire-killings-by-idf-but-uk-media-stay-silent/
Hopefully more and more people are becoming aware of “atrocity propaganda” and how it colours much of what is being written and said about this conflict in our media.
Interesting bit of history, thanks. The UNRWA has been an overwhelming force for good as I understand it from this blog, and we know a little more who should take credit for its inception.
Maybe the EU can step in as they have supported Palestine in the past.
They are also on hold right now
I am getting this really uncomfortable feeling that everyone wants a one state solution in Israel and does not mind who takes on the refugees.
‘They’ want it done and out of the way, like those who want the welfare state in the UK done and out of the way. For all we know, the Gaza situation is being driven by the Israeli construction industry and its suppliers, potentially making huge profits on seized land.
No different really to what is going on here as capital seizes power through Starmer
The Israelis have form in propaganda, such as covering up hitting hospitals with rockets by manipulation of the video. There is evidence coming to light that the Israeli helicopter gun ships killed some of the fleeing music festival goes.
I would not believe them if they said the sun would rise tomorrow.
Ben:
The Israel propaganda machine must be furious about the ITN report of the unarmed civilian holding a white flag, who was shot and killed by the IDF. They can’t even claim that it was a warning shot gone wrong, as ITN report that it was a targeted sniper bullet. And this is the mainstream ITN, not some ‘fringe’ news outlet. But the story has been studiously ignored by Sunak and Starmer. How much longer can they ignore the widespread public anger about the slaughter in Gaza? https://www.itv.com/news/2024-01-29/itv-news-cameraman-who-filmed-man-with-white-flag-shot-dead-in-gaza-speaks-out
Therese
Thank you for the links.
BBC radio 4 World at one yesterday -Tuesday -at 13.24 -had an interview with Professor Levine who heads the medical team treating the hostages have have returned. The Israeli media have emphasised the rape and torture of hostages which is probably driving the emotional intensity of the response of the IDF. Sarah Montague did put it to the Professor that some hostages have not been badly treated. ( I find radio 4 less simplistic than the TV News ) His reply that no one had been treated well and there is a spectrum from the worst atrocity to lesser abuse. I have no doubt they will all suffer life long trauma.
As usual there is no one truth.
My opinion is that if Netanyahu had agreed to a UN ceasefire , more hostages would have been released. The reason he does not agree, I would speculate, is that he wants a ‘victory’ to excuse the lapse of security which did not anticipate the attack. I have reason to think advice being given to Biden and Sunak from some of professional military and diplomatic analysts is that no permanent victory is possible, whch makes the death and suffering pointless.
People in the American civil service are taking action to protest Biden’s support -or lack of criticism -Israel.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/feds-for-peace-gaza-biden-protest-b2487449.html
I am truly sick and disgusted over this also. The Canadian government, god rot them, has put their contribution on hold. I have been suggesting to anyone who will listen that we as individuals can contribute to UNRWA if we can afford to do so. Here is the link: https://donate.unrwa.org/gaza/~my-donation. Jonathan Cook’s article on UNRWA and its origins gives a good insight into the mind of the Israeli govt. It is a good thing there are blogs like Richard’s around – should make sure the government realizes that many people disagree with their policies, with the exception of Rishi Sunak who seems to exist in an alternate universe.