Philippe Lazzarini says closure would have ‘devastating consequences’ and calls for investigation into deadly strike

A campaign is under way to drive the UN relief agency for Palestinians, Unrwa, out of existence, its commissioner general has said, days after 18 people were killed when Israeli jets bombed an Unrwa school in Gaza.

Philippe Lazzarini said in an interview that the Israeli government was seeking to close down the agency, having failed to persuade western donors to stop funding it on the grounds of allegations about links between Unrwa staff and Hamas.

“This deliberate attempt to eliminate Unrwa and prevent it from operating would have devastating consequences for the multilateral system, the UN and the cause of a Palestinian transition to self-determination,” Lazzarini said.

MBFC

    • dlatch@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      3 months ago

      The main activities of UN Watch

      Monitor UN activities, resolutions, or official statements that are construed to be critical of Israel.[4]

      Lobby for the removal of UN personnel who are considered critical of Israel[5]

      Forming coalitions to leverage influence at the UN. This also entails assisting the interests of other groups to later count on their support.[6]

      Lobby for the inclusion of AJC approved personnel; this is a standard operating procedure by the American Jewish Committee[7]

      From https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/UN_Watch

      UN Watch is very much still Israeli propaganda, or rather a lobbying organisation

        • dlatch@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          3 months ago

          After later being a soldier for Israel and a “freelance strategy consultant” who co-produced a propaganda podcast with a member of the IOF’s social media team, Keller-Lynn later was published by the Wall Street Journal, covering Israel. Then, she obtained an intelligence dossier from Israel—and published damaging information about Israel’s avowed enemy the week the ICJ ordered it to pull back.

          A few days later, Channel 4 in Britain got the dossier and said it contained “no evidence” to support Israel’s “explosive new claim” that “around 190 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist operatives” had worked as UNRWA employees and “more than 10 staffers took part in the events of 7th of October.” But by then the damage was done: UNRWA had lost hundreds of millions of funding. There is no telling when, or if, it will come back.

          How was anything reported by Keller-Lynn ever “objective” news journalism?

          The dossier mentioned in the WSJ article (an article authored by a known Israeli propagandist, for the record) did not contain any evidence supporting the claim that was made

          https://lithub.com/journalism-as-a-front-of-war-on-american-media-and-the-ideology-of-the-status-quo/

          I also advice you to read this, and consider the impact such propaganda has on real people. Real human beings. https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/1754881912550646078

          Do you really want to be on that side of history? Do you want to look back on your life when you are on your deathbed and realize you supported the slaughter of tens- to hundreds of thousands of human beings just like you and me, based on lies and deception? And to have further spread and supported these lies?

          • Snowflake@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            1·
            3 months ago

            And to have further spread and supported these lies?

            What lies? You don’t show sources proving they are not Hamas. You simply yell, Propaganda!

            There are countless proofs that Hamas operates in unrwa buildings. They’ve admitted as much themselves.