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STORY: UN / UNRWA STAFF INVESTIGATION
TRT: 2:54
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 05 AUGUST 2024, NEW YORK CITY
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
05 AUGUST 2024, NEW YORK CITY
2.Wide shot, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) has completed its investigation into 19 area staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), regarding allegations of their involvement in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023 in southern Israel. OIOS made findings in relation to each of the 19 UNRWA staff members alleged to have been involved in the attacks. In one case, no evidence was obtained by OIOS to support the allegations of the staff member’s involvement, while in nine other cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS was insufficient to support the staff members’ involvement. With respect to these ten cases, appropriate measures will be taken in due course, in conformity with UNRWA Regulations and Rules. In respect of the remaining nine cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS indicated that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023. The employment of these individuals will be terminated in the interests of the Agency.”
4. Wide shot, press briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The OIOS investigation involved the following: visits to Israel for discussions with Israeli officials and to receive and review information held by Israeli authorities; visits to Amman to obtain and review information held by UNRWA relevant to the investigation, including on UNRWA staff and UNRWA operations; Review of information and communications technology data, including email records and information on UNRWA vehicles. Review of information received from various other sources including that release to the media and other public sources and communications with several Member States to obtain any additional information relevant to the investigation. However, one thing I'd like to point out is that since information used by Israeli officials to support the allegations have remained in Israeli custody, OIOS was not able to independently authenticate most of the information provided to it.”
6. Close up, reporter asking question
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Regarding those nine cases, the evidence provided in support of allegations that the UNRWAS staff member was involved in the armed attacks of the seventh of October 2023 could, if authenticated and corroborated provide a factual basis to conclude that the UNRWA staff member may have engaged in conduct sanctionable under the applicable UNWRA regulations and rules and those nine cases have been referred for decision.”
8. Wide shot, press briefing room
“The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) has completed its investigation into 19 area staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), regarding allegations of their involvement in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023 in southern Israel,” said a UN Spokesperson.
Briefing reporters today (5 Aug) in New York, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General said that “OIOS made findings in relation to each of the 19 UNRWA staff members alleged to have been involved in the attacks.”
Haq said, “In one case, no evidence was obtained by OIOS to support the allegations of the staff member’s involvement, while in nine other cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS was insufficient to support the staff members’ involvement.”
With respect to these ten cases, the Deputy Spokesperson said, “appropriate measures will be taken in due course, in conformity with UNRWA Regulations and Rules.”
He added, “In respect of the remaining nine cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS indicated that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023. The employment of these individuals will be terminated in the interests of the Agency.”
Answering the reporters’ questions, Farhan Haq said that “the OIOS investigation involved the following: visits to Israel for discussions with Israeli officials and to receive and review information held by Israeli authorities; visits to Amman to obtain and review information held by UNRWA relevant to the investigation, including on UNRWA staff and UNRWA operations; Review of information and communications technology data, including email records and information on UNRWA vehicles. Review of information received from various other sources including that release to the media and other public sources and communications with several Member States to obtain any additional information relevant to the investigation.”
Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General added that the information used by Israeli officials to support the allegations have remained in Israeli custody, and “OIOS was not able to independently authenticate most of the information provided to it.”
The Deputy Spokesperson also added, “Regarding those nine cases, the evidence provided in support of allegations that the UNRWAS staff member was involved in the armed attacks of the seventh of October 2023 could, if authenticated and corroborated provide a factual basis to conclude that the UNRWA staff member may have engaged in conduct sanctionable under the applicable UNWRA regulations and rules and those nine cases have been referred for decision.”
