Israel's UN envoy to demand removal of UNRWA chief

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Dan Gilerman, will send a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Sunday, demanding the dismissal of Peter Hansen from his position as commissioner-general of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Work Agency).


The letter will communicate Israel's severe protest at the fact that Hamas is using UN ambulances as a means of smuggling arms and terrorists through the Gaza Strip.

UNRWA on Saturday denied Israel's allegations.

Israeli representatives intend to screen a short film with aerial photos taken from an unmanned reconnaissance plane that provides proof of the use of UN ambulances for transporting Qassam rockets.

Last Wednesday the Israel Defense Forces documented two men loading a Qassam rocket onto a van bearing a large UN logo. The photographed images, taken from an unmanned plane in the Jabalya refugee camp, were broadcast on network television on Friday night. After the rocket was loaded, the vehicle left the spot. Army sources say that the IDF avoided firing at the vehicle, as it had done in other instances, fearing that it might be a UN ambulance.

UNRWA maintains a fleet of ambulances in the Gaza Strip, which are used for evacuating wounded. UN ambulances have been used before to transport armed Palestinians and weapons. Last May similar scenes were documented by the IDF in Rafah and in the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza.

Gilerman has conveyed information about the film to Annan, and to his envoy in the region, Terje Larsen, demanding explanations.

Several months ago Israel filed a complaint in New York against UNRWA personnel for ignoring the use of UN ambulances by Hamas. The complaint never earned a significant response from the director-general. Israel has also voiced objections about Peter Hansen's conduct, claiming he has consistently adopted a trenchant anti-Israel line. However, this is the first time that Israel is directly and unambiguously demanding Hansen's removal from his UNRWA post.

Hansen, a Danish diplomat, was appointed commissioner-general of UNRWA several years ago, making him one of the most senior officials in the organization.

Several months ago, Israel complained that Hansen had submitted exaggerated reports to the UN about the number of houses demolished by the IDF in Rafah. Recently, Hansen said that he was forced to send foreign workers employed by UNRWA out of the Gaza strip, because Israel had been harassing them. An inquiry later revealed that the decision to remove the workers had been motivated by fear of violence at the hands of Palestinian elements.

Israel also complained to Annan following the publication of an article by Hansen in the International Herald Tribune in which he denounced Israel in harsh language.

In its denial, an UNRWA source said: "The occupation authorities didn't present any evidence to prove such claims and allegations." The source added: "UNRWA just offers humanitarian aide to the Palestinians, and it is not part of the ongoing conflict."

"Until now, the Israeli government has not officially contacted UNRWA concerning these allegations and claims, which UNRWA totally rejects, because this would hurt its credibility in doing its job," said the source.

Link for the UAV video.
http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ClipMediaID=40850&ak=6177920

I saw this video on TV news but this video does not answer this question: how do we know the ambulance isn't a fake?  Maybe it was stolen?

How do we now there is palestinians who dies in this terror attacks?
How do we now that all the buses explosions are not fake? (maybe Israel blown
up the buses, thrown some dollies and tell the world it was suicides bomber.)

I just don't see any incentive for the UN to help Palestinians do terror attacks, that's all.  And before saying 20+ UN members are Moslem countries, etc. etc...Just stop and think logically for a moment.  Why would China, Russia, Canada and many 3rd world countries want the UN to be damaged in such a manner?  Those countries have the UN as their centrepiece to influence world affairs; why would they allow the UN to support terrorism?  Does that sound logical to you?  And if the UN were truly anti-Jewish as you seem to imply, wouldn't it just be simpler for the UN to issue a resolution declaring war on Israel?  Even if the USA were to veto it, a majority vote would give clear indications of intentions, don't you think?

Wrong.
The administrative workers are foreign all the others R palestinians.
The ambulances drivers are palestinians.

OK, I can accept that since the UN tries its best to create local jobs in the areas they operate in.  But in no way does that mean the UN actively supports terrorism of any kind.  Why would they?

Well nobody clime that Kopy Annan order the UN employees in GAZA to help those
terror attacks, but there are such workers that helping them, and UNRWA chief
know about them or closing his eyes.

Hansen has been critical of them, so they're trying to get him replaced.

As for the Palestinians smuggling weapons, so what? They don't have tanks, APC's, jet fighters or helicopter gun ships to protect themselves from the IDF. They have AK-47's and RPG's. You want to end Israeli casualties, get out of the West Bank and Gaza. It's as simple as that.

Afterall, you took much of modern Israel from them. The least you can do is leave what little they have left alone.

E Tan, E Epi Tas!

precisely, Landos.

Why are they sad that Palestinians are trying to fight back? Should they just stand there and get bull dozed? Damn Zionist punks, if there was only a nation out there that was strong enough to defend itself from Zionism, and counter it through military supplies to the Arabs.

I would Like to take this opertunity to thank, the only other civilized people in the Mideast, Namely the Greeks and Armenians.



Better a Christian Greek than a Turkish pagan! (arab proverb)

Dan found this article and I think it clearly belongs in this thread instead of a seperate one.

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Director of UN agency Peter Hansen says, "I don't see that as a crime. Hamas is a political organization and not every one of its members is a militant". Canada, a main supporter of UNWRA, to seek clarification from UN.

The head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) admitted on Sunday that among the agency’s personnel are members of Hamas.

“I am sure that there are Hamas members on the UNRWA payroll and I don't see that as a crime. Hamas as a political organization does not mean that every member is a militant and we do not do political vetting and exclude people from one persuasion as against another", Peter Hansen told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBC.

According to Hansen, “We demand of our staff, whatever their political persuasion is, that they behave in accordance with UN standards and norms for neutrality”.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canada said, "Should Mr. Hanson's comment not be taken out of context and should it reflect UNRWA's position, we are deeply concerned, and will immediately seek clarification from Mr. Hansen directly and from UN authorities."

Canada supports UNWRA with $10 million a year.

On Sunday, Israel accused UNRWA of openly collaborating with Palestinian terrorists, and demanded the dismissal of Hansen.

Earlier, Israel Ambassador to the US Danny Gillerman officially raised the issue, demanding a full investigation of UNRWA, following a video of footage taken by an IAF reconnaissance drone clearly showing a UN vehicle being used by terrorists to transport Kassam rockets and launching equipment.

UNRWA has denied the charges, saying the drone mistook a stretcher for Kassam rockets.

This is not the first time the UN has been caught with its hands in the cookie jar. UN personnel have accepted bribes from Hamas, and are believed to have collaborated with Hezbollah, in particular in the operation in which Hezbollah terrorists kidnapped three IDF troops who subsequently died in captivity. The families of the three soldiers have recently filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the UN in the US.

http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=11210