Israel vs UNRWA: Deflection and deception

Israeli intelligence accuses a UN refugee agency of collusion with Hamas – and the media take it at face value.Israel has for years been claiming that the United Nations refugee agency (UNRWA) is in cahoots with Hamas. The latest allegations – which coincided with the International Court of Justice’s order for Israel to prevent genocide – bear the hallmarks of a distraction tactic. So far, the media have taken the bait.Contributors:Diana Buttu – Palestinian lawyerTal Mimran – Former Israeli government adviserAbdaljawad Omar – Academic, Birzeit UniversityKenneth Roth – Former executive director, Human Rights WatchOn our radarLast month, a New York Times investigation carried Israeli allegations of sexual violence by Hamas during its October 7 attacks. Meenakshi Ravi explains why that story is being called into question.Germany’s ‘Palestine exception’ to free speechHistorical guilt and the stifling of pro-Palestinian dissent in Germany.Contributors:Hebh Jamal – Palestinian journalistHanno Hauenstein – Journalist and former editor, Berliner ZeitungWieland Hoban – Chair, Jewish Voice for Peace