During this period, Israel accused twelve UNRWA staff members of participating in a Hamas attack on Israel in October, alleging that UNRWA was acting as a cover for Hamas. Israeli officials also called on international donors, including the United States, to stop funding the agency.
The campaign’s objective was to tarnish UNRWA’s image and decrease donations to UNRWA USA, which had seen a surge in contributions due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
A source within Google indicated that the campaign was particularly unusual, marking the first known instance in several years where the Israeli government had targeted political ads in Arab countries.
The campaign appeared to conclude around May, following inquiries from WIRED directed at Israel’s foreign ministry and Middle Eastern publishers.
It remains uncertain whether the ads are still active, as Google does not have a specific policy concerning Israel’s political advertisements outside its borders.
Google employees have expressed unease about the company profiting from what they perceive as Israel’s efforts to deflect blame onto UNRWA and obscure its own role in the Gaza crisis. One employee remarked, “You shouldn’t be taking that money.”
UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma condemned the ads, asserting that they had significantly damaged the agency’s reputation. “These ads are destructive to people,” she stated. “They should stop, and those responsible for this sabotage should be held accountable. There needs to be substantial follow-up with companies like Google once the war is over. There’s a lot to answer for.”
