Assassination attempts and death treats edit
Ging have survived two assassination attempts. On March 16, 2007, a "masked gunman fired at least 14 bullets at Ging's armoured car as it travelled through Gaza".[1] Sources in UNWRA, reported that Ging's armoured vehicle was attacked by three gunmen. According to that source 11 bullets pierced the armored vehicle although Ging was not hurt.[2] According to UNRWA spokeswoman Gina Benevento the attack was a kidnapping attempt. Benevento said the the gunmen used a car to block Ging's convoy and attempted to force him out of his armored vehicle. "When it became clear that the vehicle doors were locked, they opened fire directly on the car, resulting in 11 bullet holes in the vehicle's side."[3]
In the summer of 2007 a second attempt was made on Ging's life. The attack left one Palestinian dead and 7 wounded.[1]
In 2010 "there was an attack on a site where the UNRWA was hosting summer games for children from Gaza. Three bullets and a note were left behind as a warning for Mr. Ging".[4]
various sources speculated the attack was variously hamas, or Al Qaeda,
Instigators of assassination attempts edit
Not much is known about the assassination attempts and there are different speculations about its instigators. The PLO's Refugees Department argued that the March 16 2007 attack was carried out by
'misled and hired' gunmen working on an external agenda and had nothing to do with the Palestinian national work.[5]
Harriet Sherwood from the Guardian have claimed that unnamed Islamist grouped were behind both attempts on Ging's life:
The attacks are thought to be the work of extremist Islamist groups in Gaza who object to UNRWA's influence through its educational and social projects. Tensions between these groups and Hamas, the Islamist organisation which runs Gaza, are high.[1]
Motivations behind the assassination attempts edit
John Ging attracted much public criticism in Gaza for his uncompromising approach to Human Rights Education and in particular his insistence to include the Holocaust in UNRWA’s curriculum. His role in championing UNRWA’s high profile gender programme is another source of ire. In an interview with Adi Schwartz, an Israeli freelance journalist, Ging related to the attempts on his life as follows:
“We have a component of the population in Gaza which is very violent, destructive and extremist”, he says. “There is violence against Israel and also inside Gaza, for example against UNRWA’s schools. The extremists accuse us of the feminization of the society, which is the equal opportunity that we are teaching and of which we are proud. The violence is directed towards anyone who seeks to promote universal values”.[6]
Increasing security edit
Ging called the Palestinian Autority and Hamas to track down the gunmen that made an attempt on his life. The Palestinian forces haven't found any suspects.[3] UNRWA brought submachine guns to supplement the handguns used by Ging's close protection team.[1] Although the PA and Hamas have named other Islamist groups among them Al-Qaida as instigators of the attacks, UNRWA told Israeli security officials that "its personnel are being threatened by Hamas representatives".[7]
References edit
- ^ a b c d Harriet Sherwood"UN in Gaza orders weapons to protect its head", The Guardian, 5 November 2010
- ^ "Attack on relief envoy denounced", United Press International, March 17, 2007
- ^ a b News Agencies "UN aid chief calls on PA to track down gunmen who attacked him", Haaretz, 16 March 2007
- ^ Louise Hogan, "Security fears for UN chief in Gaza Strip", Irish Independent, November 13, 2010
- ^ "Attack on relief envoy denounced". UPI. 2007-03-17.
- ^ Adi Schwartz "UNRWA’s existence is a failure", Adi Schwartz' Blog (an Unabridged version of an article published in Israeli daily newspaper "Israel HaYom"), 15 November 2010
- ^ Chaim Levinson "UN Gaza leaders given submachine guns for protection 'against Hamas'", Haaretz, 5 October 2010