Danish leader of Palestinian aid organization lost his job in UN shake-up

[Stockholm]

Danish UN official Peter Hansen lost his job as a result of reorganization at the top of the United Nations (UN). Daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten reported that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had ordered the shake-up to comply with mounting criticism from the United States´ government.

snip

In October, Israel accused UNRWA-officials of transporting missiles in the organization´s ambulances, basing their claim on an aerial photograph.

Hansen categorically denied the charges, and said the photograph showed a stretcher, not a missile, being carried into an ambulance.

Subsequently the Israeli military admitted they were wrong and had jumped to conclusions.

snip

http://www.cphpost.dk/get/85234.html

UN announcing its big shakeup (or perhaps extensive Bush/Sharon suckup?)

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-un-changes-at-top,0,2034397.story

Suckup it was. Guess those competent people can be a real pain in the ...

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/la-fg-briefs20.2jan20,0,798186.story

[UL_Approved]

1. Political assassination

This is another one to add to the U.S./Israel wall of shame for their shameless politics on the Middle East. Now, I wonder what Hansen had on them that caused the pressure on Kofi Annan?

[Stockholm]

2. Quote from Swedish media

Translated quote from the largest liberal/conservative Swedish Daily Newspaper (DN)

"The Bush administration made it clear that it would be difficult to keep the US pledge of an annual contribution of 120 Mn if Hansen's mandate was extended due to the US congress discontent with him, he added (head of UNRWA - own comment).

- It was clear that he did not receive an extended mandate because the US and Israel demanded his head, a anonymous UN source was quoted.

The US was the only member of the advisory board who was against an extended mandate for Hansen, the UN source said and added that the EU and the Arabic countries supported another term for him.

Some UN sources claimed that Hansen's departure had been expected because of Israels growing discontent. Israel has repeatedly demanded his resignation."

http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=148&a=367504&previousRenderType=6 (in Swedish)

[Scurrilous]

3. Annan drops UNRWA head after US, Israeli campaign

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/529513.html

<snip>

"Secretary-General Kofi Annan has decided not to reappoint the head of the UN relief agency for Palestinians because of a long campaign against him by Israel and the United States, UN officials said on Wednesday.

Peter Hansen, a Dane, has led the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) since February 1996 and had signaled he was willing to serve a fourth three-year term at its helm.

But the United States, the program's biggest single donor and one of 10 countries on its advisory board, argued against the reappointment on grounds he had served long enough and the agency needed new blood, the officials said."

<snip>

"It was clear that he wasn't renewed because of U.S. and Israeli calls for his head," said one official familiar with the deliberations, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The United States was the only member of the advisory board opposing Hansen's reappointment, the official said, adding that European Union and Arab nations backed him for a new term."

[gottaB]

4. Hansen's statements about employing members of Hamas were troubling

Those statements were mentioned in the Haaretz and bbc stories. Hansen's responses to criticism on that topic were not completely reassuring. Overall his responses to criticism were a bit more confrontational than they needed to be.

I don't find tremendous fault with Hansen. Anybody in his position would have occasion to be highly critical of the IDF. That is why they applied so much pressure on him. By the same token, I don't see much advantage in renewing his appointment. If there is no improvement in the situation, the next head of UNRWA will, over the course of several years, come to be seen as biased against Israel. In the meantime, UNRWA can pursue its vital mission with one less point of disagreement and distraction. And of course one hopes that the situation on the ground will improve.

Sure it's a suckup to Bush, or rather the United States. I don't believe a Democratic administration would be fully supportive of Hansen under these circumstances. In fact, Hansen's congressional critics appear to be mostly Democrats (see http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ny09_weiner/140504unwrahamas.html ). This is one of the least controversial steps Annan can take to fend off attacks from members of congress.

[Stockholm]

5. Hamas that now is more or less is labeled a terror organisation

everywhere were only two years ago seen as a pretty functioning relief organisations in the area (the civilian part of course).

That said I can agree with your comments, maybe it was time for him to go. But again, one must view the present witch-hunt of the UN for what it is. I am sure the Duma or our parliament have opinions of some people working for the UN, but is it their place to decide it?