A man carries a box of relief food delivered by the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), at Bureij camp in the Gaza Strip on December 5, 2024, as the war between Israel and Hamas militants continues. Eyad Baba, AFP
MANILA — Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss has slammed the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly affirming its support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), claiming the agency employs Hamas militants.
Hamas is a Palestinian militant group that has been at war with Israel and was responsible for the October 7, 2023 attack.
The Philippines voted for the said resolution, but Fluss was careful to say that he is not criticizing the country.
“I’m not going to analyze any specific country,” Fluss told reporters on Friday.
“Israel was attacked October 7, 2023 and over a year passed since that attack and UNWRA has not done any serious measure in cleaning the system, in getting, in removing Hamas operatives from their employee list off of their facilities, it’s continuing. And there was no clear message that UN is willing and UNRWA is willing to do it,” Fluss added.
During the interview, Fluss showed documents identifying alleged Hamas militants who worked in UNRWA schools in Gaza as educators. He also said these individuals taught students to glorify terrorists.
According to Fluss, Israel has also reported tunnels under UNRWA schools which were used by Hamas.
“UNRWA has not done any serious measure in cleaning the system, in removing Hamas operatives from their employee list or facilities. There is no clear message that the UN is willing or UNRWA is willing,” Fluss remarked.
“This resolution is seen as counterproductive and Israel is not going to collaborate with an organization that is infiltrated with Hamas,” he said.
He clarified, however, that Israel will not make UNRWA leave and they will not stop the humanitarian assistance.
“We are not going to make UNRWA leave. We are giving the message that UNRWA cannot be part of the solution. It is up to UN to deal with it. The only thing we can do is our legislation,” he said.
In October, Israel’s parliament voted in favor of a legislation banning UNRWA from operating inside Israel.
“We are not going to fight UNRWA. UNRWA is a UN. But we will not coordinate and we will not engage with UNRWA until this thing is sorted out,” Fluss said.
He said Israel will work with other organizations such as the UN World Food Programme and United Nations Development Program (UNDP), instead.
Fluss also criticized the resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which the UN General Assembly adopted.
“UN is calling for ceasefire but we are calling for the return of the hostages,” Fluss stated.
“We have 100 people that have been taken hostage by Hamas. Where in this resolution is the call to return these people home? You show me. Where in this resolution do they say that the attack on October 7, 2023 was a terror attack against Israel and condemning it? Show me,” he added.