Israeli Authorities Reject UN Diplomat’s Entry Over Alleged Ties to UNRWA: A Controversial Move

Watan-“M” is a citizen of one of the Western European countries who has lived in Israel for 17 years. She is married to an Israeli Jew and is the mother of three children, aged 4, 6, and 8, who are Israeli citizens and Jewish by law. “M” is a high-ranking diplomat at the United Nations, well-known within her country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and among diplomatic circles in Israel.

However, none of her diplomatic standing or personal history was of any help when she tried to enter Israel. Israeli Population Authority employees at the airport denied her entry, separated her from her family, interrogated her roughly, and then expelled her from the country.

Her attempt to appeal the decision was met with no response from Judge Tsafnat Granbets Buzi, who upheld the expulsion, citing “the need to protect the public and maintain public security.”

“M’s” mistake was being employed by UNRWA. In Israel’s increasingly extreme narrative, “UNRWA equals Hamas, and Hamas equals Nazis.” Consequently, any action against UNRWA is justified, and there is no need for fact-checking.

However, there is a reality beyond this extreme Israeli rhetoric. Israel has accused UNRWA of having staff involved in the October 7th events, collaborating with Hamas, and promoting incitement in schools. These claims were investigated by the United Nations and donor countries, with most of the accusations being refuted.

Israel’s Assault on UNRWA: Accusations, Laws, and the Deteriorating Global Image

Of the 13,000 UNRWA employees in Gaza, allegations were found against 12 employees. Israel presented another list with 108 names, but according to UNRWA, no evidence was provided against these individuals. The United Nations rejected the allegations of incitement, stating that the agency uses Palestinian Authority textbooks, and that UNRWA schools are the only ones in the region that adhere to human rights charters and promote the two-state solution.

Meanwhile, the Knesset passed two laws aimed at closing UNRWA, which provides essential services for hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. UNRWA offers health services, education, social welfare, and vocational training for those whom Israel has not taken responsibility for, despite controlling their lives for 58 years.

The brutal and despicable behavior towards “M” and her family is a reflection of a populist government looking for imaginary enemies to justify its failures. This is akin to the boycott of Pope Francis’s funeral—another point on Israel’s deteriorating global standing. Israel owes “M” an apology, should allow her to rejoin her family, and reconsider its stance towards the United Nations and the international community.