WASHINGTON: In a recent interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) vehemently criticized Israel’s allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) serves as a proxy for Hamas. Van Hollen dismissed these claims as “flat-out lies” and emphasized that UNRWA’s operational leadership includes a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, asserting that such accusations are unfounded.
Israel’s scrutiny of UNRWA intensified after it claimed that 12 agency employees were involved in a Hamas attack on October 7. While no substantial evidence has been presented to support these allegations, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini acknowledged taking “serious action,” including terminating the contracts of the accused individuals.
Senator Van Hollen accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to eliminate UNRWA since at least 2017, viewing the agency’s existence as undesirable. Despite Netanyahu’s assertions, UNRWA remains a major distributor of aid in Gaza, serving millions of innocent Palestinian civilians who rely on its assistance.
The senator urged thorough investigation and accountability for any wrongdoing while cautioning against holding the entire Palestinian population responsible for the actions of a few individuals.
