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UNRWA Investigating Jordanian Official Who Quoted Hitler

‘Motivational’ Facebook post under investigation

Dr. Fares Haider / Facebook
August 12, 2013

The United Nations’ refugee arm has launched an investigation into one of its top Jordanian officials after he posted on his Facebook page a "motivational" poster featuring Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Dr. Fares Haider, reportedly the dean of education at the U.N.’s Relief Works Agency’s (UNRWA) educational facilities in Jordan, posted on his "official" Facebook page a picture of Hitler saluting, along with a quote from the Nazi leader.

UNRWA, which is primarily funded by the United States, is responsible for the education of some 485,000 Palestinian children throughout the Middle East.

"Military rules for success ... Assad Allah good morning all," Haider wrote along with the picture, according to the Israel-based Center for Near East Policy Research.

The text accompanying Hitler’s image reads: "The two most important rules in order to be successful—the first: never give up. The second: remember the first rule," according to a report and translation performed by pro-Israel blogger Elder of Ziyon.

The quote is attributed directly to "Adolf Hitler."

Haider’s Hitler post has garnered 31 "likes" since it was first posted on May 13, and was "presumably meant for students," according to Elder of Ziyon.

Haider, who appears to operate the Dean of Student Affairs Facebook page, has posted flattering portraits of Hitler on other occasions.

An UNRWA official told the Washington Free Beacon that it would be investigating Haider’s post and will take "disciplinary" action if it is warranted.

"UNRWA takes all allegations of misconduct by its staff very seriously; an investigation will be carried out; if a staff member is found to have behaved improperly, there will be disciplinary consequences," UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness told the Free Beacon.

Haider, who is believed to be an assistant professor for UNRWA, did not respond to a request for comment sent via Facebook.

UNRWA provides services to nearly 5 million Palestinian "refugees" living in the Middle East. It employs some 23,000 teachers.

More than 2 million Palestinian refugees reside in Jordan, according to UNRWA statistics. It operates 172 schools in Jordan, teaching some 117,274 pupils.

UNRWA has come under fire in the past for promoting what critics say is an anti-Israel agenda.

Ann Dismorr, the head of UNRWA’s Lebanon bureau, was criticized by pro-Israel groups in May after she was caught posing for a picture next to a "a map that erases the State of Israel and presents all of it as ‘Palestine.’"

"UNRWA categorically rejects accusations in the media that the agency is ‘erasing Israel from the map’ because its officials and stakeholders stood next to a map which does not show Israel," UNRWA’s Gunness said at the time.

Critics have also alleged that UNRWA teachers promote anti-Israel conspiracy theories in the classroom and indoctrinate children to hate the Jewish state.

Published under: Middle East