Israeli Intelligence Dossier Triggers Global Backlash Against UN Palestinian Agency

At least a dozen countries over the past few days have suspended payments to the United Nations agency focused on Palestinian aid. A leaked Israeli intelligence dossier made public on Monday highlights the Israeli allegations that led to this significant shift.

The dossier, spanning six pages, lists the names and photos of 12 Palestinians. Israel alleges that 11 of these individuals are fighters from Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and were involved in the October 7 attack while being employed by the UNRWA.

The 12 individuals named in the dossier, employed in various roles like teachers, shopkeepers, and counselors, represent just a small portion of the 190 employees believed to be active combatants.

The document, disclosed to the press by an unnamed source, states that Israeli forces have “eliminated” two of the individuals mentioned. Additionally, UNRWA officials report having dismissed several staff members allegedly involved in terrorist activities.

Israeli intelligence asserts that among the 12 individuals, one assisted his son in kidnapping a woman during the incursion, another coordinated weapons and troop transportation, and two more were directly involved in the massacres at Be’eri and Re’im.

“From intelligence information, documents, and identity cards seized during the course of the fighting, it is now possible to flag around 190 Hamas and PIJ terrorist operatives who serve as UNRWA employees,” the dossier stated.

An Israeli official told Reuters that while 190 are labeled as “hardened fighters, killers,” approximately 10% of all UNRWA personnel are suspected of having ties to Hamas or PIJ. UNRWA employs around 13,000 individuals in Gaza.

The Palestinian Authority has criticized the dossier and the resulting funding cuts as politically driven, urging for the prompt reinstatement of agency funding.

Concerned about the humanitarian impact of the agency’s financial crisis, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini have appealed to the countries that suspended funding to reconsider based on the critical needs in Gaza.

“The tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized,” Guterres argued.