Israel's Foreign Ministry announced Monday that Minister Israel Katz instructed the ministry's employees to cancel their planned meetings with UN refugee aid agency UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini, who is expected to arrive in Israel on Wednesday.
"UNRWA employees participated in the terrorist attack on October 7. Lazzarini should draw conclusions and resign. Supporters of terrorism are not welcome here," Katz posted on his X network account.
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At the end of the week, UNRWA announced the opening of an investigation into the suspicion that at least 12 of its employees took part in the October 7 massacre, following Israeli information that was passed to the agency. The U.S., Great Britain and a number of other countries announced the cessation of funding to the agency. On Sunday, Lazzarini protested the countries' decision, saying it was "shocking" and warned that it threatens the continuation of humanitarian activities in the region, and especially in Gaza. He called on the countries to reconsider their decision.
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UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini and Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz
(Photos: Reuters, EPA)
Israel has been pressing for years to close UNRWA, but every three years the U.N. General Assembly renews the mandate for the agency's activities, which next expires on June 30, 2026. The Trump administration stopped U.S. funding for UNRWA, but the Biden administration restored it, despite Israeli claims of incitement in its textbooks, the employment of terrorist operatives and the perpetuation of the Palestinian refugee problem.
The Wall Street Journal newspaper on Monday published parts of the intelligence information that was transferred to the U.S., and led to Sunday's suspension of U.S. aid to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. According to the report, 10% of UNRWA employees in the Gaza Strip have ties to terrorist organizations. Reuters on Monday reported that approximately 190 UNRWA employees - including teachers in the agency's schools - are Hamas or Islamic Jihad operatives.
On Monday morning the New York Times reported that, according to intelligence information provided by Israel to the U.S., 10 of the 12 workers who participated in the October 7 massacre are part of Hamas. According to the Wall Street Journal, six of the 12 employees were among the Palestinians who infiltrated Israel and took part in the surprise attack. Two workers helped kidnap Israelis into Gaza, another two were at the sites where Israelis were murdered and the rest took part in the logistical preparation for the massacre and, among other things, purchased weapons. Of the 12 involved, seven are primary or middle school teachers.
Katz called on other countries to stop funding the agency, saying: "We will not give up, we will demand that the events be fully investigated. The UN should immediately fire the heads of UNRWA and open an independent and transparent investigation into what happened at UNRWA
"Many of UNRWA's employees are members of Hamas who help it in providing shelter for terrorist activities and maintaining its rule. We must make sure that UNRWA will not be part of the day after in Gaza and that other factors will come in its place," Katz also said.
At the same time, the Foreign Ministry instructed the Israeli embassies in countries that are significant donors to UNRWA to contact them with a request that they freeze aid until the involvement of the organization's employees is clarified. The embassies were instructed to request an in-depth investigation to verify that there are no more Hamas officials employed in the agency's service.