Israel Matzav

Sorry seems to be the hardest word... and in this case it isn't enough

UNRWA, whose job is to perpetuate 'Palestinian refugeehood,' announced on Thursday that it had 'discovered' 20 rockets in one of its schools.

Yesterday, in the course of the regular inspection of its premises, UNRWA discovered approximately 20 rockets hidden in a vacant school in the Gaza Strip. UNRWA strongly condemns the group or groups responsible for placing the weapons in one of its installations. This is a flagrant violation of the inviolability of its premises under international law. This incident, which is the first of its kind in Gaza, endangered civilians including staff and put at risk UNRWA’s vital mission to assist and protect Palestine refugees in Gaza.

The first of its kind? Really? This is from Operation Cast Lead in 2009. 

UNRWA has rejected an IDF investigation that concluded that terrorists were present in the Jabalya school in which 30-40 civilians were allegedly killed on Tuesday.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) spokesman Chris Gunness said terrorists are not allowed in its schools, and he demanded an "impartial" probe into IDF reports that Hamas shot mortars next to a school. He said he did not know off hand what constitutes an impartial body.

"If there have been violations on either side, we want those responsible brought to justice," he told Israel National News. He added that he cannot comment on the IDF report that it shelled a UNRWA school because terrorists were attacking soldiers with mortars from within the building.

"Allegations that UNRWA facilities are used by militants are always investigated and we will cooperate so our name can be cleared," Gunness stated.

...

He also said he wants proof of the IDF claim that terrorists were killed in the shelling.

Asked about the October 2007 incident in which video evidence (link includes video) was presented that terrorists were shooting mortars from a UNRWA schoolyard, Gunness had this to say:

Concerning the 2007 video of mortar attacks from a school in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, Gunness explained that the terrorists entered after the building was deserted. The UN had evacuated children and teachers because of an Israel military operation and terrorists moved in afterwards, he added. "We did not open the doors" for them.

Gunness also said that the UNRWA teacher who was discovered to be a rocket manufacturer in his off hours was sacked and that his family did not receive pensions that usually are granted to workers.

Israel actually compensated UNRWA for the 2009 incident. Hopefully, at least this time, we won't be dumb enough to do that. 

In the meantime, as you may have noted from the statement at the top of this post, UNRWA is pretending that Israel is behind the rockets. Waiting for them to claim that in 4... 3... 2... 1....

Labels: Gaza, Hamas rockets, Operation Cast Lead, Operation Protective Edge, UNRWA

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:25 PM