Dismantle UNRWA

If God is with us, who can be against us? How about the United Nations or, at the very least its officials?

This may well apply to Israel as it engages the UN in a test of willpower, first over the International Court of Justice’s interim verdict, and now UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ call.

Guterres yesterday implored donor countries to its Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA to keep their money flowing to ensure the body’s operation following the exposure by Israel of its partisan activities.

Partisanship is an understatement, as late last year, following Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel villages that killed about 1,140 people, the latter presented damning evidence against UNRWA; evidence that some of its workers participated in the terror attack.

It’s an undeniable fact that UNRWA resources, including its vehicles and supplies, were used by Hamas during its murderous rampage, thus Israel’s vow to dismantle the UN body from operating in Gaza after the war.

“Guarantee the continuity” of UNRWA’s operations in Gaza, Guterres pleaded to those countries that had withheld support following Israel’s provision of proof of its crimes. Guterres all but admitted UNRWA officials have blood on their hands.

“While I understand their concerns — I was myself horrified by these accusations — I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations,” Guterres said in a statement.

Among those that had withdrawn funding to UNRWA were the United States, Switzerland, Canada and the United Kingdom.

In a bid to stave off funding withdrawal, UNRWA fired several staff while promising a thorough investigation into the charges raised by Israel against it. “The abhorrent alleged acts of these staff members must have consequences,” Guterres said in another admission of guilt for UNRWA.

Early this week, the ICJ, the UN’s top court, released an interim ruling urging Hamas to release all of its remaining hostages and for Israel to ensure that its military actions

“Guterres asked UNRWA donor nations not to throw the baby with the bathwater as the agency was allegedly tainted only by a few bad eggs.