On Monday Israel’s ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan was prevented by UN security personnel from bringing a poster of Adolf Hitler to a General Assembly session dedicated to discussing UNRWA’s financial crisis.
Israeli news outlets said Erdan wanted to present during the session a social media picture about Hitler that was previously posted by an UNRWA teacher.
“I see it as a very dangerous precedent here preventing my freedom of expression preventing my freedom of speech and hiding the truth from the UN” Erdan said.
“I am shocked because I brought here with me a photo of an UNRWA teacher’s post glorifying the most horrific mass murderer in history Adolf Hitler. Unfortunately shockingly I was prevented from bringing in this photo in order to share this proof with the other distinguished ambassadors here” Erdan said.
A UN spokesperson said UN protocol prevents ambassadors from using props when delivering speeches.
On Monday UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini presented a report to the General Assembly about the challenges of providing services to 5.7 million Palestinian refugees in Lebanon Syria Jordan Gaza the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Lazzarini also addressed allegations of incitement and anti-Semitism in some of UNRWA classrooms and in some social media posts by its staff saying: “I am deeply proud of our education system and its resources. UNRWA uses host country curricula in line with best practices in refugee education.”
“The schools teach their pupils about human rights conflict resolution tolerance gender equality and democracy” he said.
“Let’s be clear” Lazzarini said “UNRWA has a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech incitement discrimination hostility or violence.
“I am however acutely aware that we are operating in a highly divided and emotionally charged environment where zero risk does not exist” he said.
In his 30 years of humanitarian experience Lazzarini said he had never seen an organization that had gone to the lengths that UNRWA has to keep in line with humanitarian values.
“We review all host country textbooks to identify passages that are not in line with UN principles or values” he said. “Any passages that praise violence whatever the context are knocked out.”
He charged that those who attack UNRWA seek to discredit the agency for political reasons.
“Politically motivated attacks on our education system and more broadly against the agency are increasing in frequency and in aggression” Lazzarini stressed.
“Those behind these attacks do not have the well-being of Palestinian refugee children at heart” he said adding that their goal is to delegitimize the agency by eroding the rights of Palestinians.
