FAO official says he lost his job for criticising Israeli policies in Gaza

FAO manager said helium was informed his declaration would not beryllium renewed due to the fact that of allegedly breaching impartiality rules.

A elder UN bureau manager has said that helium mislaid his occupation due to the fact that helium criticised Israeli policies successful Gaza.

Ben Davis, who had been Director of Rural Transformation and Gender Equality astatine the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told AFP quality bureau connected Wednesday that helium was informed successful July that his declaration would not beryllium renewed due to the fact that helium had allegedly breached impartiality rules.

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He said that helium was accused of organising play soundless protests astatine the Rome-based organisation.

“They accused maine of organising these moments of soundlessness connected the concern of starvation and famine successful Gaza,” Davis said.

Davis was besides criticised for a study helium worked connected astir nutrient availability successful Gaza and humanitarian law, published successful May.

“We were told to instrumentality it down,” helium said. “We weren’t allowed to marque immoderate references to humanitarian law.”

‘Game of quality rights’

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu appeared to pass FAO unit connected Tuesday that “we don’t let you to play the crippled present of quality rights”.

He was speaking successful nationalist comments made astatine the commencement of a filmed league connected forestry.

“Of course, quality rights is precise important, but we person the quality rights bureau successful Geneva,” helium added. “If you privation to instrumentality care, spell there.

“That’s wherefore immoderate elder members play the governmental crippled here, I occurrence him … You should travel the FAO constitution … You are against unit regulations … But I’m a precise brushed person, I didn’t occurrence that many,” helium said.

“I volition occurrence much radical if they are against the law,” helium added.

Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Qu Dongyu delivers his code during a World Food Forum gathering [File: Andrew Medichini/AP]

FAO did not respond to an AFP petition for comment.

Asked if helium thought the director-general’s comments were astir him, Davis said “absolutely”.

“He has already scolded maine successful nationalist successful the past for being excessively political.”

Davis besides said helium was “concerned” astir the director-general’s comments connected firing much people.

Hundreds of radical attended the moments of soundlessness astatine their height, portion present determination are lone 30 to 40 radical coming connected a play basis, helium said.

Israel’s genocidal warfare connected Gaza has killed implicit 74,000 radical since October 2023, and astatine slightest 1,431 Palestinians person been killed successful Israeli attacks since the alleged ceasefire betwixt Hamas and Israel was agreed upon successful October 2025.