TEL AVIV – Israel will not allow United Nations agencies to “become branches of the Hamas terrorist organization,” the Israeli ambassador to the international body said after it was revealed that a UN employee in the Gaza Strip had been arrested by the Shin Bet security agency over “involvement in security offenses.”
“While UN workers should be focused on humanitarian assistance for the local residents, Hamas is attempting to cynically exploit these officials and turn them into accomplices to terror,” UN envoy Danny Danon said. “Over the past year, we uncovered a number of incidents in which UN workers took advantage of their positions to assist terror organizations in the Gaza Strip.”
“The UN must act to put an immediate end to this unacceptable situation,” Danon added.
Danon was reacting to news of UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) employee Hamdan Tamaraz’s arrest.
“During questioning, information was received indicating his involvement in prohibited activity,” the Foreign Ministry said of Tamaraz. “Following his questioning, he was released, and the findings of the investigation are currently being examined by the relevant authorities.”
There have been several cases of UN workers being exposed as having affiliations with terror groups. Last year two UN agency employees were arrested for providing “material assistance” to Hamas.