The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said the Israeli government is buying advertising space on Google to persuade donors to stop supporting UNRWA.
According to him, the “smear campaign” carried out by Israel not only undermines the reputation of the agency, but also represents a threat to its employees. Lazzarini called for greater regulation in the field of online advertising.
“The targeted dissemination of disinformation must be stopped and investigated. Disinformation remains a weapon of war in Gaza,” he said.
Recall that the Knesset approved in its first reading a bill declaring UNRWA a terrorist organization. The agency’s employees were accused of participating in militant attacks against Israel on October 7, 2024, as well as guarding kidnapped hostages.
Previously, the US-Israeli government funded a Google advertising campaign aimed at spreading accusations against UNRWA, alleging its links to Hamas terrorist activities.
According to the post, Israel purchased advertising space for UNRWA-related search terms, such as “UNRWA” and “UNRWA USA.” These ads redirected users to pages detailing allegations against the agency. Israel has long accused UNRWA of anti-Semitism and supporting terrorism, especially through its education system. During the recent military campaign in Gaza, Hamas weapons and infrastructure were discovered at UNRWA sites.
UNRWA spokesperson Juliet Tuma told WIRED that the announcement damages the agency’s reputation and undermines its activities. Thuma demanded that the campaign be stopped and that those behind it be brought to justice.
Earlier, Kursor reported that the US ambassador to the UN is demanding that Israel protect the organization’s staff in Gaza.
