Ruining Lives With No Evidence

Last January, The Wall Street Journal reported that 12 UNRWA staffers were involved in the 7 October operation, and 10% of its 12,000 Gaza employees had ties to militant groups. This led to immediate defunding by the U.S. and other countries, totaling $450 million as reported in the Quds News Network.

Months later, the Journal’s top editor admitted that the paper couldn’t verify these claims. Elena Cherney, the chief news editor, stated: “The fact that the Israeli claims haven’t been backed up by solid evidence doesn’t mean our reporting was inaccurate or misleading.”

Despite this, the Journal continues to stand by its story, emphasizing that their reporting has consistently highlighted that the allegations came from Israeli intelligence and provided ample opportunity for UNRWA to respond.

The Journal’s story has had a significant impact, but internal and external pressures have raised concerns about its accuracy and the broader coverage of the war.