UNRWA retains Nobel Peace Prize candidacy despite evidence proving its ties to Hamas

Despite evidence collected by the IDF throughout the Israel-Hamas War proving that UNRWA workers included Hamas terrorists, the organization has retained its candidacy for a Nobel Prize award after being shortlisted in February. The winner of the prize will be announced on October 11.

After UNRWA workers were involved in the October 7 attacks and multiple instances were found where Hamas terror infrastructure was embedded within UNRWA facilities, the Im Tirtzu organization sent a petition to the Nobel Prize committee to reconsider its decision, the organization said on Wednesday. By Thursday morning, almost 4,000 additional supporters had signed the petition.

According to Im Tirzu, approximately 12,000 people signed the petition urging the Peace Research Institute Oslo, the organization responsible for selecting the Nobel Peace Prize laureates, to reconsider UNRWA’s candidacy.Shai Rosengarten, CEO of Im Tirtzu, emphasized that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to UNRWA would tarnish the prize’s reputation and symbolize a moral failure.

In February, Henrik Urdal, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, released his shortlist for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, which included UNRWA, as The Jerusalem Post reported. UNRWA was nominated for its alleged humanitarian efforts in Gaza, despite numerous allegations of staff complicity in violence.

Israeli Peace Nobel Prize nominations

In addition to UNRWA, the ICJ was also nominated for its seeming contributions to peace through international law, including its rulings concerning Israel and Russia.

Nevertheless, the Post reported in December 2023 that two Israeli organizations were also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. EcoPeace Middle East, an environmental peacebuilding organization founded nearly 30 years ago by climate activist Gidon Bromberg, was also nominated for the Prize.

The organization has offices in Tel Aviv, Amman, and Ramallah, with co-directors and staff working together to promote cooperation across the political divide in the region. Bromberg noted that the nomination highlights grassroots efforts to address the Arab-Israeli conflict through environmental projects.

Two related organizations, Women Wage Peace (WWP) and Women of the Sun (WOS), have also received nominations. WWP is the largest grassroots peace movement in Israel, while WOS is a Palestinian women’s peace group that was established in 2021. These organizations have collaborated for several years, including events like the March of Hope in 2016, where thousands participated in the pursuit of peace. The group also created The Mothers’ Call, a document outlining a shared vision for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

The nomination follows the death of WWP member Vivian Silver during the October 7 attack. Heiman Mina, a WWP volunteer whose mother was kidnapped during the attacks, stated that the nomination reflects the organization’s commitment to increasing communication and peace efforts despite the ongoing violence throughout the region.

Both groups continue to emphasize that a political solution is necessary to ensure peace and safety in the Middle East.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that the idea that UNRWA could win a Nobel Peace Prize was “unthinkable,”  despite the organization itself admitting that nine of its employees were potentially involved in the October 7 massacre.

Kobi Samerano, father of hostage Yonatan Samerano, who was killed on October 7 at the site of the Nova music festival and taken to the Gaza Strip, also commented on the decision.

Samerano issued a statement, asking that the footage of his son’s abduction by a UNRWA worker on October 7 be released for all to see.

The forum was set to host a press conference on Thursday featuring Ayelet Samerano, whose 21-year-old son Yonatan Samerano was murdered on October 7. His body was taken to Gaza from Kibbutz Be’eri by a UNRWA social worker. He is still being held there.

The conference will also feature Deputy Permanent Representative at Israel’s UN mission and Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon and Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch.

Given the depth of evidence against UNRWA, several other terrorists and organizations in direct violations of human rights abuses were nominated in retaliation by Israeli organizations.

The Regavim movement submitted names and organizations such as Yahya Sinwar, the Muslim Brotherhood, Boko Haram, and China’s Xinjiang re-education camps.

“If UNRWA, with its documented involvement in terrorism, is eligible for a prize meant to honor peace, it’s only fair to consider other organizations with similar records,” said Regavim’s spokesperson.

“We urge the Norwegian Nobel Committee to reassess its candidate selection and to issue a clear and unequivocal statement condemning the activities of Hamas and repudiating UNRWA’s candidacy for any recognition or accolades, particularly not for a prize celebrating peace and human rights.”