UNS: The European Union’s top humanitarian aid official has said he has seen no evidence from Israel to back its accusations against staff from the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), which should continue playing a “critical” role in Gaza, Reuters reports.
Janez Lenarcic, the head of humanitarian aid and crisis management at the European Commission, said that neither he nor — according to his knowledge — anybody else at the EU executive, or any other UNRWA donor had been presented with evidence by Israel.
“Even if those allegations, at the end of the day, prove to be true, that doesn’t mean that UNRWA is the perpetrator,” he told journalists.
In that case, Lenarcic said individual accountability would be in order rather than summary justice — and the “irreplaceable” agency would be asked to clean up and carry on.
“UNRWA has reacted properly, immediately, effectively. It took several measures. There is an investigation. There is a review. We are satisfied so far with all this,” said Lenarcic.
“UNRWA has of course a critical role to play here because it has unmatched infrastructure, warehouses, shelters, logistical capacities.”
