Palestinians pass by the gate of an UNRWA-run school in Nablus in the West Bank. Photo: Reuters/Abed Omar Qusini.

Bishop Hilarion Capucci was a convicted terrorist who exploited his status as Greek Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem to smuggle weapons to the PLO terror organization. He was arrested in 1974, and sentenced to 12 years in prison — but served only three years due to the Vatican’s intervention.

That did not stop UNRWA from signing a “cooperation agreement” with “the Bishop Capucci Campaign” — a Lebanese relief group for Palestinian civilians in Gaza and Lebanon:

Under the auspices of the embassy of the State of Palestine: Signing a cooperation agreement between the Bishop Capucci Campaign and UNRWA … an agreement was signed between the Bishop Hilarion Capucci Campaign for Aid to the Gaza Strip and UNRWA …  Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon Dorothee Klaus signed on behalf of UNRWA … Klaus thanked the Bishop Capucci Campaign for this important initiative, which eases UNRWA’s work.

[Falestinona, website of Fatah’s Culture and Information Commission in Lebanon, Sept. 27, 2024]

Was this just ignorance, or an intentional UNRWA endorsement of a convicted terrorist who smuggled weapons to be used for murdering Israeli civilians?

This endorsement follows Israel’s exposure that UNRWA employees were actively involved in Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.

In addition, Palestinian Media Watch has disclosed that UN Secretary-General António Guterres shamelessly met with top Palestinian Authority (PA) official and outspoken terror supporter Jibril Rajoub.

Also in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif — the Chairman of UNRWA’s Teachers’ Union in Lebanon and Principal of UNRWA’s Deir Yassin School in El Buss refugee camp in Tyre, Lebanon — turned out to be leader of Hamas in Lebanon:

Text on image: “‘And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision’ [Quran 3:169, Sahih International translation]

Hamas Movement leader in Lebanon and Hamas leadership member abroad
Martyr educator Fateh Amin Sherif
Our Martyrs’ blood strengthens the procession and produces the victory” [emphasis added]

[Hamas, Telegram channel, Sept. 30, 2024]

The image above shows a picture of Sherif, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike. In the upper left and right corners is the Hamas logo.

Every day it becomes clearer why Israel has initiated legislation to outlaw UNRWA activities on Israeli territory.

Itamar Marcus is Founder and Director of Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this article first appeared.