Allegations were made in late July against senior members of the organisation, which AFP news agency reported involving "sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority for personal gain".

Middle East media have this week reported that MFAT has already pulled its funding of the agency pending a report into the allegations - due in October.

However, MFAT clarified New Zealand's current stance on UNRWA in response to a report from the Israel Institute of New Zealand. The Institute recently produced a report looking at MFAT's dealings with UNRWA, much of which is based on analysis of internal MFAT documents released under the Official Information Act.

On Thursday an MFAT spokesperson confirmed to New Zealand's 1 NEWS that media reports in the Middle East are incorrect, and said funding has not yet been formally suspended.

"The Ministry will review the findings of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) report once the investigation is complete and after that point provide advice to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on future funding," an MFAT spokesperson said.

"We expect UNRWA to cooperate fully with the investigation and to report on the investigation's findings and recommendations."

New Zealand has contributed a total of $2.5 million to UNRWA in the period January to June 2019, and the next core funding payment is due in March next year.

New Zealand contributed more than $6.4 million to UNRWA over the past ten years, and recently committed to adding $3 million over the next few years.

Source

• jewishpress.com
• middleeastmonitor.com
• tvnz.co.nz
• 1.org.nz
• Image: english.ahram.org.

This has been demonstrated via our partnerships with Bethlehem University and Caritas Jerusalem.

The recent violence near the Gaza-Israel border pains us.

However, we find encouragement in the words of Pope Francis, "[we need to redouble our efforts] so that dialogue, justice and peace prevail".

We welcome a recent statement by Caritas Jerusalem President, Archbishop Pizzaballa, in which he said:

"We at Caritas Jerusalem are horrified and deeply saddened by last month's violence along the Israel/Gaza border, which resulted in the deaths of at least 65 Palestinians, and injuries to close to 3,000 others among the thousands of Palestinians protesting as part of a March of Return."

Caritas Jerusalem supports the right to non-violent protest, as a fundamental right of civilians.

The situation in Gaza is unsustainable. Electricity is on for four hours a day, water in many areas of Gaza is undrinkable and medical supply is running out.

Most of the 2 million people there have never been allowed to leave this tiny area, and young Gazans live in despair, without the possibility for plans for the future.

The International Community must play an active role in ameliorating the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The closure of the borders with Israel and Egypt severely limits the import of needed goods as well as the exports necessary to allow for economic growth.

In the long term, only a peace agreement will end the on-again, off-again violence on the Gaza border, which endangers residents of Gaza, along with Israelis living near the border.

Further to the recent escalation of violence in Gaza, the UN Human Rights Council has convened a Special Session on Friday 18 May, in Geneva. NGOs, including Caritas, have the opportunity to deliver a short oral statement in conjunction with the Human Rights Council's Special session.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand Director, Julianne Hickey, echoes the need for peace, "We pray for peace, justice, a lasting resolution of the conflict in the region and a just solution for Palestinians in general and Gazans in particular."

Supplied: Caritas Aotearoa New Zeland

"I would like to congratulate the teacher Hanan al-Hroub for winning this prestigious prize due to the importance that she gave to the ‘playing' part in the education of the children," said Pope Francis.

"A child has the right to play," Pope Francis said. "Part of education is to teach children how to play, because you learn how to be social through games, and you learn the joy of life," he said.

"A population that is not well educated because of wars, or by other reasons that exist in order not to get any education, is a population that decays," said Pope Francis. "That is why I would like to highlight the noble profession of a teacher."

Hanan al-Hroub, who works with children who have grown up exposed to violence, received the award at a star-studded ceremony in Dubai.

"I am proud to be a Palestinian female teacher standing on this stage. I accept this as a win for all teachers in general and Palestinian teachers in particular," said Al-Hroub in her acceptance speech.

"Each day, the role of the teacher is reinforced and its importance confirmed as the world questions what future we want for our children," she said.

Al-Hroub later told the Associated Press it was "amazing" to hear Pope Francis say her name.

Al-Hroub grew up in the Bethlehem refugee camp, and was regularly exposed to violence. She went into primary education after her own children were left traumatized from witnessing a shooting on their way home from school.

Sources

Vatican Radio
ABC News
The Guardian
Image: AP/Vatican Radio

Caritas Jerusalem is providing medical assistance, food and other necessities to the thousands of vulnerable people affected by the escalating conflict.

More than 775 people have been killed during Israeli attacks, with more than 100,000 Palestinians displaced.

The pledge of $20,000 from Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is possible because of the public's generosity through the Caritas Gifts, Gifts of Peace programme (www.caritasgifts.org.nz)

Much-needed donations are now being accepted to implement the humanitarian response as soon as possible.

Continue reading

July 15 was designated as an appropriate occasion as it fell on significant fasting days in Jewish and Muslim religious calendars.

It was the 17th of the month of Tammuz on the Hebrew calendar, which begins a three-week mourning period for the loss of the two Jerusalem temples.

It is also in the month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast during daylight hours.

The fasting movement was coined as #hungryforpeace on Twitter.

A Twitter campaign and subsequent plan for a day of fasting began in Israel and gained momentum in the United Kingdom and the United States.

It aimed at encouraging both sides in the Middles East conflict to resolve their differences and end ongoing bloodshed.

The fast took place as rocket fire continued to be exchanged between Israel and the Gaza strip, in the wake of the killings of three kidnapped Israeli teens and subsequent killing of a Palestinian teen.

Gaza's Health Ministry reports that 185 people, including dozens of civilians, have been killed since missile strikes escalated last month.

The Israeli military resumed airstrikes on Gaza on July 15, after the government had agreed to an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire deal that failed to end Hamas rocket attacks.

Yachad, a pro-Israel, pro-peace group based in the UK, was one of the main promoters of the international fast day.

Hannah Weisfeld, director of Yachad, said that her group promoted the day with the hope of encouraging peace between Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

"Through the fast, British Jews want to loudly and clearly call for de-escalation, return of calm, return to the negotiating table and the creation of two states for two peoples, the only way that can guarantee stability and security in the long run."

Lee Ziv, an Israeli peace activist, started a Facebook page called "The Bus of Peace".

She is organising a bus to drive from Jerusalem to Gaza with flowers and peace slogans to demonstrate the goodwill of many Israelis toward the people of Gaza.

"The tears of an Israeli mother over her dead son are identical to those of a Palestinian Mother," Ziv said.

Sources

• Christian Post
• Patheos
• Religion News Service
• Independent
• Image: Behebekfalasteen