A day after United Nations relief workers were pulled out of the Gaza Strip because of safety concerns, a U.N. watchdog slammed the organization for the double standard it applies to Israel.
The U.N. agency that supports Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, announced Monday that it was taking some of its international staff out of the coastal enclave, citing concerns for their safety.
The U.S. recently announced it would end its funding to the agency because it had mismanaged its funding and only perpetuated the problems it was tasked with solving.
The organization has had to cut jobs in Gaza, sparking strikes and protests, prompting the evacuation.
"UNRWA today decided to temporarily withdraw part of its international staff from Gaza following a series of worrying security incidents affecting its personnel in the strip," the agency said Monday.
Hillel Neuer, director of U.N. Watch, a nongovernmental organization that monitors the U.N.'s performance, ridiculed UNRWA's decision, saying it only confronts Hamas, the terrorist group that rules Gaza, when its employees' well-being is jeopardized.
"UNRWA foreign staff flee Gaza to Israel after Hamas allows protests, death threats [against them]. Yet not one word criticizing Hamas from UNRWA, its chief [Pierre] Kraehenbuehl, spokesperson Chris Gunness or Gaza chief Matthias Schmale. But they attack Israel daily," Neuer tweeted.
"Case in point of UNRWA hypocrisy. Hamas-led attacks on Israel border with guns, grenades, Molotov cocktails and wirecutters is Palestinians 'exercising their right to prowwww.' Protests targeting UNRWA's German and British managers is 'threat to security.'"
Kulanu MK and former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren also lambasted the agency, tweeting, "Hypocrisy or stupidity? Funny how the agency speaks of the Palestinians' right to protest when Hamas organizes 'Marches of Return' [the weekly violent demonstrations on the Gaza border, which include terrorist attacks on Israeli troops], but now UNRWA directors are fleeing for their lives into Israel because Hamas has threatened them. Confused? Me too."
According to Israeli officials, about 10 UNRWA employees were taken out of the Gaza Strip, but the agency's director of operations and deputy have remained there.
