UNRWA shuts down its Jerusalem office following a fire.
The United Nations Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has been under fire from the Israeli government for quite some time now. Recently, there was a fire that erupted on the organization's grounds in East Jerusalem, causing significant damage. UNRWA's head Philippe Lazzarini believes the incident was a deliberate act of arson.
Due to this second fire incident within a week, Lazzarini has decided to temporarily shut down the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem. No one was injured in the blaze, but it caused considerable damage to the exterior of the building. The UNRWA compound also houses a fuel station for the aid organization's vehicles. The local office's director, along with other employees, tried to put out the fire before the Israeli fire department arrived. Lazzarini labeled this "an outrageous development."
The Israeli government has been vocal about its disapproval of UNRWA, claiming that the Palestinian Relief and Works Agency's Gaza Strip operations have been infiltrated by the Islamist terrorist group Hamas. Israel claims that Hamas has so deeply rooted itself within UNRWA that it's become impossible to distinguish where UNRWA ends and Hamas begins. The aid organization operates in the sealed-off Gaza Strip, providing education and humanitarian aid, among other services.
In January, UNRWA made headlines after Israel alleged that twelve of the organization's employees were involved in the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7. An investigation by independent experts found that UNRWA had put in place "robust" mechanisms to guarantee neutrality. Although there was still room for improvement, the report affirmed that UNRWA has made efforts to ensure that its principles are being upheld.
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Despite the investigation’s findings affirming UNRWA's efforts to uphold neutrality, the tensions between Israel and Palestinians continue to escalate. This ongoing conflict has led to numerous challenges for UNRWA, including the recent closure of its Jerusalem office following the fire incident.
Source: www.ntv.de
