Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on Sunday that he has directed the revocation of the residency permit of a senior United Nations humanitarian official, accusing him of spreading misinformation about the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
“I have instructed not to extend the residency permit of the head of the OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) office in Israel, Jonathan Whittall,” Saar wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Whittall, a South African national based in Jerusalem who regularly travels to the Gaza Strip, has frequently voiced strong criticism of the humanitarian situation endured by over two million residents in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
In a statement issued in April, Whittall remarked that residents of Gaza were “slowly dying” as a result of the protracted Israeli military campaign against Hamas militants, which began in October 2023.
The decision to expel Whittall, Saar stated, was driven by what he described as “biased and hostile conduct against Israel which distorted reality” and constituted a breach of the United Nations’ principle of neutrality. This action marks the latest move by Israeli authorities targeting senior officials from various UN bodies.
Since hostilities erupted last October, Israel has increasingly tightened its visa policies, making it more difficult for staff from several UN agencies to operate freely in the region. These agencies include OCHA, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
What you should know
Jonathan Whittall, a prominent UN humanitarian figure known for his outspoken critiques of conditions in Gaza, has been ordered to leave Israel by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
The move underscores Israel’s growing tension with UN agencies, particularly over perceived partiality in the Gaza conflict narrative.
