On September 18, the Italian Senate hosted a press conference to shed light on two issues deeply intertwined with the reality affecting Gaza and Israel, particularly in the wake of the October 7 pogrom. The event featured the presentation of two reports prepared by UN Watch, an independent, accredited NGO that has been highly active at the UN Human Rights Council since its founding in 1993. Its mission is to monitor the United Nations’ actions based on the principles of its Charter—an activity that has revealed inconsistencies and double standards within the UN system, largely due to the high number of authoritarian states that do not operate under the rule of law.
As part of these efforts, UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer presented two reports during a conference held in the Nassirya Room of the Senate, with participation of Fiamma Nirenstein, Tomas Sandell, Angelo Vaccarezza, Cristina Franco, and Antonio Stango. The event was moderated by Matteo Angioli.
The first Report, titled “Schools in the Grip of Terror: How UNRWA Allowed Hamas Leaders to Control Its School System”, is a new release. Its emblematic title reflects how generations of young Palestinians have been indoctrinated for years with teachings that promote hatred of Jews—denying them a true childhood and fostering the next generation of terrorists.
The second Report, titled “Nothing to Hide: How the UN and Francesca Albanese Covered Up Their Funding from Pro-Hamas Lobby Groups”, was published in May 2025. It is an exposé that uncovers the harmful approach and activities of UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese within the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The wide media coverage and attention the event received indicate that the relevance of the issues raised—and the impact they have had over more than a decade on the lives of Palestinians, especially the youth—was clearly understood. These young people are systematically denied a childhood, conscripted by Hamas to become the terrorists of tomorrow.
As Neuer explained, the report on the school system exposes the role of certain Hamas terrorist leaders—not mere militants—in top positions within the UNRWA educational system, despite publicly expressing their support for Hamas and terrorism. “UNRWA knew and did nothing,” Neuer stated. “The UN agency, which collects over one billion dollars a year from Western states under the promise of educating Palestinian children in values such as peace, tolerance, and universal human rights, instead handed them over to the very agents who recruit child soldiers, glorify suicide bombers, and preach the annihilation of a UN member state.”
By knowingly employing Hamas terrorist leaders as principals and teachers—and allowing them to head unions that oversee thousands of their fellow educators—UNRWA didn’t just tolerate extremism: the UN agency, funded by the West, institutionalized it, turning classrooms into incubators of hate.
Turning to the role of Francesca Albanese, Neuer recalled that UN rules are clear: “The Council must consider objections to mandate holders. That never happened. The process was hijacked, and the so-called renewal of Ms. Albanese’s mandate is legally null.” The Special Rapporteur, accused of spreading antisemitism and downplaying Hamas atrocities, “can no longer hide behind a diplomatic immunity she no longer holds.”
The report urges the UN Legal Counsel to recognize the illegitimacy of her appointment process and calls on member states to reject what it describes as Albanese’s illegitimate claim to the position. UN Watch is therefore asking the United Nations to acknowledge the invalidity of Albanese’s alleged reconfirmation and calling on member states to remove her from office.
In conclusion, the information contained in these two reports—particularly the revelations about childhoods stolen from thousands of Palestinian minors through indoctrination into hatred—represents a significant contribution to the right to know.
Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata