The H-Word UNRWA’s Philippe Lazzarini Dare Not Mention

Photo Credit: Jamal Awad/Flash90

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini in eastern Jerusalem, June 2, 2021.

Philippe Lazzarini, 60, was described by his UN agency as a “Swiss-Italian humanitarian who has been serving as Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) since 2020.” Lazzarini holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the School of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne, and a Bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Neuchâtel. One would think, with all this education, Lazzarini should be able to pinpoint the name of the Gazan group that’s been ripping off his humanitarian trucks. But he can’t. This is what he tweeted Sunday afternoon:

BREAKING

We are pausing the delivery of aid through Kerem Shalom, the main crossing point for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The road out of this crossing has not been safe for months.

On November 16, a large convoy of aid trucks was stolen by armed gangs.

Yesterday, we tried to bring in a few food trucks on the same route. They were all taken.

This difficult decision comes at a time when hunger is rapidly deepening.

The delivery of humanitarian aid must never be dangerous or turn into an ordeal.

LAZZARINI’S ANALYSIS

In Gaza, the humanitarian operation has become unnecessarily impossible due to:

• The ongoing siege
• Hurdles from Israeli authorities
• Political decisions to restrict the amounts of aid
• Lack of safety on aid routes and
• Targeting of local police.

All of the above led to a breakdown in law and order.

The responsibility of protection of aid workers + supplies is with the State of Israel as the occupying power. They must ensure aid flows into Gaza safely & must refrain from attacks on humanitarian workers.

I call once again for a ceasefire that would also secure the delivery of safe & uninterrupted aid to people in need.

So, it appears that in Commissioner Lazzarini’s universe the thieving terrorist group Hamas, which has been usurping upwards of 90% of the humanitarian aid flowing into the Gaza Strip, does not exist. It’s all Israel’s fault, especially when it attacks “local police,” which is another name for the H-word gangs.

As to the notion that Israel “must refrain from attacks on humanitarian workers,” the IDF just reported eliminating Hazmi Kadih on Saturday. Kadih was a Gazan terrorist who took part in the invasion and massacre in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Kadih also worked for the World Central Kitchen (WCK) in Khan Younes, having been hired by the aid organization after the massacre.

Lazzarini, whose agency has been banned from Israel over its hiring of dozens of Hamas terrorists, last May issued a “refutation” of those Israeli accusations, claiming that “The names of the 12 individuals against whom allegations were made were all shared multiple times with Israel and other Member States. Prior to January 2024, UNRWA did not receive any indication from the relevant authorities of any involvement of its staff in armed or militant groups. In addition, the Agency screens its staff on a biannual basis against the UN Security Council Consolidated Sanctions List.”

You’ll notice that even in his denial of Israeli charges, Lazzarini cannot bring himself to utter the H-word.