The Colonna report highlights the organised lying of the Netanyahu government and the pusillanimity of Western leaders             

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Israel’s denunciation of alleged UNRWA favoritism toward Hamas is old news. It is a recurring soundbite.

Nevertheless, this accusation resurfaced with particular force following the International Court of Justice’s decision on January 26, ordering Israel to take measures to prevent genocide. In Geopolitics.fr (In the UNRWA case, Macronian diplomacy like a sheep without a shepherd | Geopolitics.frWe had denounced this curious coincidence. The machine was quickly filling up. Indeed, immediately afterwards, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Australia and Canada decided to suspend or freeze their funding to UNRWA. France, for its part, proudly announced that no new funding was planned.

This decision had serious consequences in a context already very grave due to the food shortage. Despite taking preventive measures against 12 of his staff, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini did nothing. The leaders of Western democracies rushed headlong into the trap with a deceptive naiveté and amateurishness. We witnessed a charade of cowards and irresponsible people.

These hasty decisions that had no justification had serious repercussions by disorganizing UNRWA, causing a fully organized famine in the Gaza Strip. Shouldn’t waiting for the conclusions of the international investigation be the path of wisdom and reason?

In addition to the 12 employees involved, Israel claimed that a significant portion of UNRWA staff had supported the terrorist acts of October 7. However, the report produced by Catherine Colonna states: « The Israeli authorities have so far provided no evidence to support it, nor responded to the UNRWA letters in March, and again in April, asking for the names and evidence that would allow UNRWA to open an investigation ». Of course, the system could be improved and the report contains a number of recommendations. But its message is clear.

This sad affair revealed the pro-Netanyahu bias of a number of leaders easily manipulated by a politician infinitely more cunning and devious than themselves.

France has yet again missed an opportunity to be an intermediary between the North and the South.

And it is, once again, the Palestinian civilians who have paid the heavy price.