The Israeli government has reportedly been running a Google ad campaign to discredit the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), according to a report by Wired. The campaign was designed to undermine UNRWA’s reputation and reduce donations to its U.S. branch, UNRWA USA, which had seen a significant increase in contributions amid the Gaza conflict.
This campaign coincided with Israel accusing twelve UNRWA staff members of involvement in a Hamas attack on Israel in October. Israeli officials labeled UNRWA as a front for Hamas and called on international donors, including the United States, to halt funding to the agency.
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A source within Google described the campaign as highly unusual, noting that it was the first known instance in recent years of the Israeli government targeting political ads in Arab countries. The campaign seemingly ended around May after Wired began inquiring about it with Israel’s foreign ministry and Middle East publishers. However, it remains unclear if the ads are still active, as Google does not have a specific policy governing Israel’s political ads outside its borders.
The campaign has sparked internal concerns at Google, with employees questioning the ethics of profiting from what they perceive as Israel’s attempt to shift blame onto UNRWA and distract from its role in the Gaza crisis. A Google employee expressed disapproval, stating, “You shouldn’t be taking that money.”
UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma condemned the ads, stating that they have severely damaged the agency’s reputation and calling for accountability. She emphasized the need for follow-up with companies like Google once the conflict is over, stating, “There’s a lot to answer to.”
