UN Appoints Sigrid Kaag, Wife of Arafat Deputy, to Lead “Humanitarian” Efforts in Gaza

UN Appoints Sigrid Kaag, Wife of Arafat Deputy, to Lead “Humanitarian” Efforts in Gaza

Edited by: TJVNews.com

The United Nations’ recent appointment of Sigrid Kaag, the departing finance minister of the Netherlands, as the lead coordinator for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Gaza has sparked both attention and controversy, as was reported by The Jewish Press on Wednesday. The decision follows a UN Security Council resolution aimed at enhancing humanitarian assistance in the region. However, Kaag’s background and past statements have raised concerns about her suitability for the role.

Sigrid Kaag is set to assume her role as the lead coordinator for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Gaza on January 8. As was noted in the Jewish Press report, the appointment comes in the wake of a UN Security Council resolution passed on Friday, emphasizing the need to strengthen humanitarian assistance in the conflict-stricken region. Kaag’s responsibilities include facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying humanitarian relief shipments destined for Gaza, according to the JP report. Additionally, she will be tasked with establishing a mechanism to expedite aid delivery from countries not directly involved in the conflict.

Kaag, a practicing Catholic, is married to Anis al-Qaq, a Jerusalem-born individual who served as Deputy Planning Minister under Yasser Arafat in the 1990s and as the Palestinian Authority’s Ambassador to Switzerland, according to information provided in the JP report. The couple has four children.

Controversy surrounds Kaag due to her past statements and actions. In a 1996 interview, she described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s politics as having “racist, demagogic overtones” regarding Palestinian Arabs, as was indicated in the JP report. Furthermore, Kaag referred to Jewish settlers as “illegal colonists on confiscated land.”

NGO Monitor reported that in July 2020, the Dutch government froze funding to the Palestinian Arab NGO Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) due to its close links to the terror group, The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The report in the JP also said that Kaag’s office reportedly continued to support the UAWC, contributing an estimated 11.7 million euros between 2017 and 2020, despite warnings from the Israeli watchdog group. This raised significant concerns about oversight and due diligence processes in Kaag’s ministry concerning funding for groups with links to terrorism.

Furthermore, Kaag faced criticism for misleading the Dutch public by claiming in an interview that the Dutch ambassador to Israel had visited the mourning Shnerb family, the report in the JP said. Contrary to her statement, no such visit had taken place.

Despite these controversies, Dutch Jewish leaders invited Kaag to speak at the Kristallnacht commemoration in November, alongside other dignitaries. As per the JP report, this decision drew attention, considering Kaag’s past statements and actions that raised concerns within the Jewish community.

The Jewish Press also reported that in her speech on November 9 in Amsterdam, representing the Dutch government, Kaag said:

“As we gather together tonight to reflect on Kristallnacht, we are all no doubt thinking of the victims of the horrifying terror attack by Hamas on 7 October. We think of those who died, of the hostages and their families and friends. The Dutch government condemns this terror attack in the strongest terms. The hostages must be freed unconditionally as soon as possible. As Deputy Prime Minister, I am reiterating our position here today.

Israel’s right to exist and its right to defend itself is self-evident to us. But in these dark times, it is important that acts of war comply with international law and the humanitarian law of war in order to avoid innocent civilian victims and enable adequate humanitarian aid to be provided in time.

The government has serious concerns about the humanitarian tragedy currently unfolding in Gaza. As you know, the Netherlands is providing support where necessary and where it can, always with a view to achieving a permanent and peaceful solution. The Netherlands joins the EU in calling for humanitarian pauses. The ultimate aim remains a two-state solution, with a safe Israel alongside an independent Palestinian state, as the Prime Minister has previously stated.”

The State Department welcomed the announcement by Secretary-General António Guterres of Kaag’s appointment, stating: “We look forward to coordinating closely with Ms. Kaag and the UN Office for Project Services on efforts to accelerate and streamline the delivery of life-saving humanitarian relief to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.” The announcement also noted that “The United States has provided more than $110 million in humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank since October 7, “ the Jewish Press reported.

Sigrid Kaag’s appointment to lead humanitarian efforts in Gaza comes at a time of heightened tensions and conflict. Her past statements, associations, and controversies have sparked debates about her suitability for the role and raise questions about the transparency and oversight of humanitarian initiatives in the region.