INTERVIEWEES

Head of UNRWA operations in Gaza since October 7th, Anderson offers a sobering account of the humanitarian crisis unfolding during the war. He describes how UNRWA is caught between Hamas, Israel, and its mission to provide relief to 1.5 million newly displaced Palestinian refugees.

Danish-born and former UNRWA Commissioner-General (1996–2005), Hansen served in Gaza and the West Bank. Known for his outspoken criticism of Israeli policies toward Palestinians, he remains a staunch defender of UNRWA and opposes efforts to dismantle the agency.

A German politician from the CDU party, Herbst has served as a Member of the European Parliament since 2019. He currently chairs the Budgetary Committee.

Former legal advisor and general counsel for UNRWA, Lindsay oversaw the agency’s legal affairs. After leaving UNRWA, he authored a critical report evaluating its operations and policies.

A Canadian-born international lawyer, writer, and executive director of UN Watch, a human rights NGO and UN watchdog. Neuer has been a vocal critic of UNRWA and advocates for reducing reliance on foreign funding.

A prominent Israeli intellectual and former Knesset member, Wilf participated in former Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s peace efforts in 2000. She is co-author of The War of Return, a historical study examining UNRWA’s controversial role in perpetuating the Palestinian refugee issue since 1948.

A renowned historian,
Morris is best known for his groundbreaking book The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, which explores the causes and consequences of the
1948 war.

Born in the former Yugoslavia, Zigic witnessed the civil war and its resulting refugee crisis. He spent two decades at the UN Migration Agency and served as Chief of the UN Diplomatic Mission in Moscow and Central Asia.

A Jerusalem-born scholar and founding director of the Jerusalem Studies and Research Institute. Born before 1948, he was classified as a Palestinian refugee by UNRWA, though his family declined the designation.

Mother of Johnathan Samerano, who was abducted from the Nova Festival by a UNRWA employee—a case documented on video and presented as evidence against the agency. She holds the UN accountable for her son’s fate.