Germany says it will resume coordination with UNRWA

[lapucelle]

16. The Guardian's take: "Review says Israel has provided no evidence of terrorist links"

Berlin restores ties with UN agency after review says Israel has provided no evidence of terrorist links

Here's how WaPo reported it:

Report says Israel has not provided evidence of widespread militancy among UNRWA staff

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This particular panel was not convened to investigate the Israeli's January claims about UNRWA participation in the October 7 massacre. It was convened to investigate UNRWA's breaches of the humanitarian principle of neutrality. That's why the report is called:

Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality.

UNWRA was the subject of the investigation, not Israeli claims concerning October 7. Everyone should read the report. It's chock full of recommendations about how UNRWA could step up its game when it comes to adhering to to the humanitarian principle of neutrality.

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Here's the only thing the report says about "Israeli evidence". It is specific to an Israeli claim made in March 2024, not to those made in January about UNRWA staff participation in the October 7 massacre.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that until March 2024, they had received staff lists without identification (ID) numbers. On the basis of the March 2024 list, which contained staff ID numbers, Israel made public claims that a significant number of UNRWA employees are members of terrorist organizations. However, Israel has yet to provide supporting evidence of this.

https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/2024/04/unrwa_independent_review_on_neutrality.pdf

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Here's what the lead investigator reviewing UNRWA's adherence to the humanitarian principle of neutrality said at her press conference concerning allegations of UNRWA staff participating in the October 7 massacre and kidnapping of hostages:

Speaking at a news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday, Ms. Colonna said she wanted to be “very clear” that the question of involvement in Oct. 7 is a separate question, one that remains under internal investigation by the United Nations.

While Israel has not produced evidence of ties to Hamas and other militant groups among UNRWA workers, that does not mean there is no evidence, she noted. “It’s very different,” she said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/22/unrwa-israel-hamas-report-palestinians/