US intel report fails to provide proof of Israeli claims against UNRWA
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A new report by the National Intelligence Council in the US assesses Israeli claims against UNRWA as 'low confidence'.
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IOF troops surround the UNRWA headquarters during a ground operation in Gaza, on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (AP)
A new report by the US intelligence reveals that the latter evaluated the Israeli claims about the alleged involvement of staff members at the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) on October 7 and gave it a “low confidence” assessment, The Wall Street Journal stated, citing officials familiar with the latter.
The National Intelligence Council (NIC), a group of veteran intelligence analysts, worked on the four-page report, which was circulated within the US government last week, the sources revealed.
The Intelligence Council develops and sustains intelligence and information-exchanging relationships with international, military, domestic, and private sector partners to boost intelligence-related communications. Its authority to conduct such activities is governed by many laws and regulations mainly the "Executive Order 12333, United States Intelligence Activities," which was amended in 2008.
The order specifies strategic goals and defines roles and responsibilities within the IC, while also "affirming the Nation’s commitment to protect Americans’ civil liberties and privacy rights in the conduct of intelligence activities."
The US intelligence report's “low confidence” assessment emphasizes that the intelligence officials find "Israel’s" claims that a dozen UNRWA employees took part in the attacks "plausible", yet no stronger confirmation can be made for the lack of independent evidence to back them.
They also failed to corroborate "Israel’s" claims alleging that "10% of UNRWA staff," 12,000 to be exact, "have ties to Hamas."
Read more: Western media dispute Israeli claim of UNRWA involvement on Oct. 7
US intel report just proved UNRWA chief's statements right
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated on Monday that the agency is still waiting for "Israel" to provide evidence of its claims, stating, “The UN has never, never, ever received any written dossier, despite our repeated call for cooperation from the Israeli authorities."
Earlier on Saturday, Lazzarini said in an interview for the Swiss newspaper Tamedia that the Israeli occupation wanted to destroy the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
Lazzarini also refuted calls for his resignation, describing them as part of an orchestrated campaign by the Israeli government to bring down the organization.
The UNRWA chief went on to assert that the Israeli occupation was engaged in a sustained effort to dismantle the agency, labeling it a "concerted campaign" with long-term political goals.
According to Lazzarini, the Israeli government believes that abolishing UNRWA will lead to the resolution of the status of Palestinian refugees and their right to return.
