GENEVA, June 30, 2026 — As Philippe Lazzarini’s term as Commissioner-General of UNRWA ends today, UN Watch has called on UN Secretary-General António Guterres to immediately waive any immunity enjoyed by the outgoing UN official so that competent national authorities may investigate and prosecute him for alleged complicity in terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The request was made today in a formal legal letter invoking Section 20 of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.
The letter argues that immunity exists solely to protect the interests of the United Nations—not individual officials—and must be waived where it would impede the course of justice without prejudicing the Organization’s interests.
“For years, we repeatedly warned Mr. Lazzarini that Hamas had deeply infiltrated UNRWA,” said Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch. “We provided detailed evidence identifying Hamas-affiliated teachers, school principals, union leaders, and other employees. We documented repeated meetings between senior UNRWA officials—including Mr. Lazzarini himself—and leaders of Hamas and other terrorist organizations. Yet he continued to assure governments that UNRWA’s neutrality mechanisms were effective while overseeing an agency whose personnel, facilities, and resources were being exploited by terrorist groups.”
UN Watch contends that despite repeated warnings, Lazzarini continued to oversee the payment of salaries to thousands of UNRWA employees in Gaza, many of whom have since been shown to have deep ties to Hamas and other terrorist organizations, while continuing to administer facilities that provided terrorist groups with access to students, infrastructure, and institutional legitimacy. The letter states that these facts establish reasonable grounds to investigate whether Lazzarini knowingly facilitated or provided material support and assistance to individuals and entities involved in terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
UN Watch called on Secretary-General Guterres to publicly waive any applicable immunity without delay and to ensure the full cooperation of the United Nations with any resulting criminal investigation.
“The credibility of the United Nations depends on demonstrating that immunity is not a shield for impunity,” Neuer said.
Also today, UNRWA held a pledging conference at the United Nations in New York, with several countries announcing voluntary contributions for the Agency’s 2026 operations amid ongoing concerns over its management and neutrality. UN Watch warns that without accountability for past leadership failures, further funding risks perpetuating the very problems that have undermined UNRWA’s credibility.
View the Letter to Secretary-General Guterres Here
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
The United Nations
New York, NY 10027
United States
30 June 2026
Re: Demand to Waive Immunity of Philippe Lazzarini for Crimes Against Humanity
Dear Secretary-General Guterres,
I write to demand that you exercise your authority under Article V, Section 20 of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and immediately waive any immunity enjoyed by outgoing UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini for his alleged complicity in acts of terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, insofar as necessary to permit his investigation and prosecution by competent national authorities.
Immunity is granted solely in the interests of the United Nations, and not for personal benefit of the UN official, in this case, Mr. Lazzarini. Where immunity would impede the course of justice and can be waived without prejudice to the interests of the Organization, the Convention requires that it be waived. This is your duty.
For years, UN Watch repeatedly provided Mr. Lazzarini and his administration with detailed evidence of Hamas infiltration of UNRWA, including evidence concerning teachers, school principals, union leaders, and other employees who openly supported, assisted, or were affiliated with Hamas and other terrorist organizations. We documented repeated interactions between senior UNRWA officials—including Mr. Lazzarini himself—and leaders of Hamas and other terrorist groups. We warned that UNRWA facilities, resources, personnel, and institutional structures were being exploited for the benefit of terrorist organizations. Our online database mapping out the UNRWA terror network is here.
Despite these repeated warnings, Mr. Lazzarini continued to oversee the payment of salaries to thousands of UNRWA employees in Gaza, many of whom have since been shown to have deep ties to Hamas and other terrorist groups. He continued to administer facilities that provided terrorist organizations with access to students, employees, infrastructure, and institutional legitimacy. He continued to assure donor governments and the public that UNRWA’s neutrality mechanisms were functioning effectively, even as evidence of terrorist infiltration continued to mount.
These facts raise grave questions as to whether Mr. Lazzarini knowingly facilitated, enabled, or provided material support and assistance to individuals and entities involved in terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. At a minimum, they establish reasonable grounds to investigate whether he bears responsibility for complicity in such crimes.
No credible commitment to accountability can permit the head of a United Nations agency to invoke immunity while serious allegations of this magnitude remain beyond the reach of criminal investigators. The interests of justice require that competent authorities be allowed to determine the facts.
We therefore call upon you to waive any applicable immunity for Mr. Lazzarini without delay, publicly announce that decision, and ensure the full cooperation of the United Nations with any resulting criminal investigation.
The credibility of the United Nations depends on demonstrating that immunity is not a shield of impunity for pepetrators of terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Sincerely,
Hillel C. Neuer
Executive Director
