United Nations staff's stance on the Gaza conflict faces criticism from the U.S. and Israel, according to unveiled documents and demonstrations.
In recent days, hundreds of United Nations (UN) employees gathered outside the organisation's European headquarters in Geneva to protest against the ongoing Gaza war. The Geneva protest, organised by UN staff, was a poignant display of solidarity, with more than 370 white roses laid beside a memorial plaque to represent each UN aid worker killed in the nearly two-year conflict.
One of the organisers, Séverine Deboos, denied that the protest was political. Instead, she stated that the message of the Geneva protest was in honour of UN colleagues in Gaza and to thank them for their invaluable work amidst the conflict. Another organiser, Nathalie Meynet, president of the UN refugee agency staff council, expressed the sentiment that "enough is enough," saying that staff cannot stand by and watch their united colleagues in Gaza be killed with such impunity, and called for an end to all these murders.
Israel's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Daniel Meron, denounced the Geneva protest in a Sep 10 letter to Tatiana Valovaya, director-general of the UN's Geneva office. The letter called for disciplinary measures, including suspension, for UN staff who incite and participate in such politically charged activities. This denouncement comes as the United States and Israel have sent complaint letters to senior United Nations officials regarding the staff's perceived impartiality over the Gaza war.
The US has already withdrawn from the UN Human Rights Council over what Washington calls its anti-Israel stance. This tension between the UN and its biggest funder, the US, is further highlighted by the letters.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that there are rules and regulations for staff to engage in activities outside of their normal activities which sometimes need to be applied. He did not, however, explicitly mention the name of the UN employee who organised the Geneva protests against the Gaza war.
It is worth noting that according to the letters, Israel takes care to avoid civilian deaths in its war with Hamas. Staff carried placards with messages such as "Peace for Gaza" and "Not a Target," reflecting the hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and the desire to protect innocent lives.
A parallel vigil at UN headquarters in New York was denied permission to proceed by management. Despite this setback, the Geneva protest serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost of conflict and the need for impartiality and peace in UN actions.
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