The use of UNRWA facilities, schools, equipment (and staff) by Hamas is well-known. What about the Red Cross' alleged role (ICRC) in facilitating payments to Palestinians involved in violence against Israelis?
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Palestinian society rewards those who commit hostile acts against Israelis. This has been entrenched in Palestinian law since 2004 and enjoys constitutional protection. According to the law, the Palestinian Authority (PA) funds legal representation and provides guaranteed income, education, and professional training for security prisoners housed in Israeli jails. The amount of income depends on the length of an individual's sentence (thereby linking it to the severity of the terrorist act). Long-term prisoners are also guaranteed employment with the PA upon their release. This 'pay-for-slay' policy (which is allocated 7-8% of the PA's annual budget) ultimately ensures that those in positions of authority within Palestinian society embody its values.
The ICRC has operated in Gaza and the Palestinian territories since 1967. In that time, it has gradually expanded its operations and become a permanent fixture within Palestinian society. This is beneficial for many ordinary Palestinians who gain greater access to medical services and equipment, reliable water and electricity, and even agricultural assistance. But in the long run – it has likely mitigated the need for responsible government, provided cover for the misuse of public funds, and ultimately brought Palestinians not much closer to achieving sustainable self-government. PA President Mahmoud Abbas has been quoted saying in 2018, "We will not cut or prevent stipends to the families of the prisoners and martyrs, as some are trying to do…If we are left with one penny, we will spend it on the families of the prisoners and martyrs."
The ICRC also supports Palestinian prisoners and their families. It has arranged thousands of family visits to Israeli prisons and health checks for prisoners while making efforts to improve their conditions. However, the assistance provided by the ICRC to Palestinian prisoners doesn't end there.
As a trusted international humanitarian organization, the PA relies on the ICRC to provide information about security prisoners in Israeli jails. Recently, Palestinian Media Watch reported on the use of ICRC documents to prove eligibility for payment from the PA's Martyrs Fund (aka the 'pay-for-slay' program). PA regulations (adopted in 2010) regarding the administration of the Martyrs Fund specifically refer to the requirement for a prisoner to produce "an original document from the Red Cross attesting to the person's arrest, and an official proof of incarceration document for every three months behind bars" to receive payment. If a prisoner wishes to appoint a representative to receive the funds, "Power of attorney shall be granted with a [form] issued by the Red Cross and signed by the prisoner…The document will be valid only in the Ministry [of Prisoners' Affairs] for the purpose of paying the salaries." This is inconsistent with its supposed neutrality.
Perhaps it's just not possible to remain neutral while embedded within one side of a conflict over the long term. This brings into question the model adopted by the UN, the ICRC, and other international humanitarian organizations operating within Palestinian society on a permanent basis.
The ICRC's recent decision to appoint a former head of UNRWA as its next director-general indicates that it will continue to have a significant ongoing role within Palestinian society. The question is whether the ICRC is there to assist its development or to facilitate its self-destruction.
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