2 April 2009
East Jerusalem
The Toronto Globe and Mail and the Australian Newspaper have published retractions and corrections to articles in which they accused UNRWA officials of publishing inaccurate information about Israeli attacks around the UN school in Jabalia during the recent war in Gaza. In its clarification, the Toronto Globe and Mail admitted that "John Ging, the Director of operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza was mistakenly quoted in a January 29 news story". The paper made clear that "in fact, Mr Ging was referring to a different attack, at Asma, Gaza, on the same day as the jabalia attack", in which three people were killed inside the UNRWA school compound. The articles claimed that UNRWA had not only published incorrect data, but that its officials had spread allegations against Israel based on this information. These misleading articles were quoted in subsequent media reports. UNRWA welcomes the retractions, but regrets the damaging impression left by the original articles. The Agency stands by the information it made public during the fighting in Gaza in December and January.
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For more information please contact:
Christopher Gunness,
UNRWA Spokesperson.
Orange: +972-(0)54-240-2659
Jawwal:+972(0)588-942-8034
Office: +972(0)2-589-0267
c.gunness@unrwa.org
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