UNRWA’s neutrality leaves a gap for Israel’s impunity to thrive in its narrative

While humanity may have been the purpose of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees’ (UNRWA) pinned status on X.com yesterday, it, instead, illustrated its principles of purported neutrality and how it translates into impunity for Israel.

“We are lost for words. We pay tribute to our 35 colleagues who have been killed in #Gaza since 7 October. We grieve and we remember. These are not just numbers. These are our friends and colleagues. Many were teachers in our schools. @UNRWA mourns this huge loss,” UNRWA’s post read.

Israel’s culpability is completely missing from the statement. If Israel is responsible for reducing Gaza to bombed rubble and murdered civilians, how does the principle of neutrality apply when stating facts? If Israel has even bombed humanitarian spaces – it has targeted UNRWA facilities now and in past bombardments – how does neutrality protect such spaces? Israel is destroying any semblance of neutrality, so what use does neutrality serve UNRWA and the Palestinian people?

UNRWA facilities are used as shelters for Palestinians displaced by Israeli bombing. A school bombed by Israel last week served as shelter for 4,000 Palestinians, according to UNRWA Commissioner General, Philippe Lazzarini. On this occasion, it was specified that “the school was hit during Israeli forces’ airstrikes and bombardment on the Gaza Strip.” UNRWA also stated it provided coordinates of its facilities, which points towards Israel using the coordinates in its precision strikes.

While humanity may have been the purpose of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees’ (UNRWA) pinned status on X.com yesterday, it, instead, illustrated its principles of purported neutrality and how it translates into impunity for Israel.

“We are lost for words. We pay tribute to our 35 colleagues who have been killed in #Gaza since 7 October. We grieve and we remember. These are not just numbers. These are our friends and colleagues. Many were teachers in our schools. @UNRWA mourns this huge loss,” UNRWA’s post read.

Israel’s culpability is completely missing from the statement. If Israel is responsible for reducing Gaza to bombed rubble and murdered civilians, how does the principle of neutrality apply when stating facts? If Israel has even bombed humanitarian spaces – it has targeted UNRWA facilities now and in past bombardments – how does neutrality protect such spaces? Israel is destroying any semblance of neutrality, so what use does neutrality serve UNRWA and the Palestinian people?

UNRWA facilities are used as shelters for Palestinians displaced by Israeli bombing. A school bombed by Israel last week served as shelter for 4,000 Palestinians, according to UNRWA Commissioner General, Philippe Lazzarini. On this occasion, it was specified that “the school was hit during Israeli forces’ airstrikes and bombardment on the Gaza Strip.” UNRWA also stated it provided coordinates of its facilities, which points towards Israel using the coordinates in its precision strikes.

UNRWA’s neutrality leaves a gap for Israel’s impunity to thrive in its narrative