Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), said today that the Israeli government is purchasing advertisements on Google to defame the agency and prevent users from making donations.
Lazzarini stated that the Israeli government’s campaign aims to undermine and tarnish the reputation of UNRWA by using Google ads to discourage contributions and spread negative propaganda against the agency.
He emphasized that these actions not only damage the agency’s reputation but, more critically, endanger the lives of its staff.
In a post on X, Lazzarini called for an immediate halt to these deliberate efforts to spread misinformation and demanded an investigation into the matter.
He underscored that misinformation and false narratives continue to be used as tools in the ongoing war in Gaza, and criticized social media platforms and companies for profiting from the spread of false information.
Lazzarini also highlighted the need for stricter regulations to combat misinformation and hate speech on these platforms, pointing out that UNRWA is the largest humanitarian organization addressing the crisis in Gaza.
The agency has faced systematic Israeli defamation following allegations against 12 of its employees. This controversy led 18 countries and the European Union to suspend funding. However, some countries and entities have since resumed financial support following UN investigations that disproved the allegations.
Source: WAFA
