Two days before UNRWA Secretary-General Filipe Lazzarini is due to visit Brussels, his agency is facing new charges. The Israelis claim that a Hamas tunnel has been located directly under the UNRWA headquarters. Lazzarini himself says he knew nothing and denies allegations that the tunnel was electrified by his service. Moreover, he recalls, the building has not even been used since October 12, that is, it was abandoned a few days after the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel. Despite this, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz is calling for Lazzarini’s resignation.

During his last visit to Brussels, in March 2023, Lazzarini received a friendly reception when he appealed for funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency. for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). But on Monday, when he talks to EU Development Aid ministers, everything will be different.

The experienced diplomat will be asked to answer some critical questions from various ministers who will want to know how it is possible for employees of the UN organization. apparently cooperated with the terrorist organization Hamas or even participated in the attack against Israel on October 7.

Lazzarini has been head of UNRWA since 2020 and has already been called upon to manage a number of scandals: his predecessor Pierre Kreinbiel resigned following accusations of nepotism and abuse of power.

Following the indictment of twelve of UNRWA’s 13,000 staff in Gaza, the United Nations immediately expelled ten of them. The other two were killed. At the same time, an internal investigation is underway at the behest of the UN Secretary General. Antonio Guterres, in order to identify all the culprits. Israel has claimed that 10% of UNRWA staff are linked to Hamas terrorists without providing any relevant evidence.

Germany cuts off funding
Lazzarini wants to convince EU member states to continue funding UNRWA. But nine countries, including Germany, have decided to suspend funding for the agency until investigations are completed. Other member states, such as Ireland and Belgium, continue to send money, while Spain has even increased its funding by 3.5 million euros – a similar intention has been expressed by Portugal.

As Josep Borrell, the Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, said, currently the EU pays nothing from the common budget. However, this is not happening in the context of a suspension of funding, but it was not foreseen to send money anyway until the end of the month, when the examination of the finances of the Union will show whether the cooperation with UNRWA can be continued. However, as Borel pointed out, “it is not good” that the member states did not adopt a common position.

Borrell: “UNRWA is irreplaceable”

Borel made it clear, however, that the financial aid to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip must definitely continue: “We will certainly carry out checks, but I can say that the majority of the 27 member states consider that UNRWA is irreplaceable. I repeat, UNRWA cannot be replaced!”

The service is estimated to provide food to around two million people, not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, Jordan and Lebanon. It also undertakes health services and takes care of education. “UNRWA plays a crucial role. It is true that the Israeli government strongly criticizes the service, not only now, but already in the past. But we cannot punish two million people by blocking the assistance provided by UNRWA,” Borrell stressed.

Schulze: “We should help”

Germany is the second largest funder of UNRWA. In 2022 he gave the service $202 million. The US, which has also frozen its funding, ranks first with $344 million. The EU common fund is third with $114 million.

German Development Aid Minister Svenia Schulze (SPD) assumes UNRWA funding will continue after the allegations are investigated. “I can’t imagine that we won’t continue to support the people who are suffering in those areas. We should help them. And this is in Israel’s interest as well,” Schulze said in late January.

UNRWA’s resources are running out
In a press release on Thursday (8 February), UNRWA announced that from the end of the month it will have significant difficulties in continuing its activities and supplying the population in the Gaza Strip.

For 75 years that UNRWA has been responsible for Palestinian refugees and their descendants, the agency is not funded by the regular UN budget, but by donations on an annual basis. “While UNRWA is used to dealing with economic insecurity, the developments in January escalate the risk to a whole new level. If donors do not continue donations immediately by paying the full amount foreseen, the agency could run out of resources by the end of February,” UNRWA wrote on its website. And that is exactly what Lazzarini wants to avoid by visiting Brussels.

Edited by: Giorgos Passas