UNDP denies Israeli accusations against its employee in Gaza

UNDP rejected Israeli claims that its employee Waheed Al-Borsh, from the northern Gaza Strip refugee camp of Jabalia, violated the organisation’s principles and exploited his positon to aid Hamas; the Safa news agency reported Israel’s Haaretz saying yesterady.

Last week, Israel announced the arrest of Al-Borsh, 38, an engineer at the UNDP, and claimed that he diverted 300 tonnes of rubble left by the Israeli destruction of Palestinian homes in 2014 to a Hamas base.

The claims included accusations that Al-Borsh was directed to do so by a senior Hamas leader in Gaza.

According to Haaretz, the UNDP Special envoy Roberto Valent said the material was transferred to the right place.

Valent said that Al-Borsh had no administrative powers or the ability to determine the destination where the rubble was to be transferred.

In a statement, the UNDP said: “UNDP works in partnership and coordination with the Palestinian Authority to implement projects in Gaza, including the rubble removal project.”

The statement stressed that Hamas had nothing to do with the organisation’s work.

“There was no diversion of rubble from its designated location to Hamas,” the statement said. “The rubble was delivered by UNDP in coordination with the Palestinian Authority to a civilian area. There were no signs of Hamas presence in that area at the time.”