THE IRISHMAN who heads UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) operations in Gaza yesterday told an Oireachtas committee he was surprised details of his personal security arrangements had been publicly disclosed by Israeli officials.

John Ging was responding to questions from members who raised the issue on foot of a letter sent by Israel’s ambassador to Ireland, Boaz Modai, to the committee ahead of the meeting.

Mr Modai claimed in the letter that Israel’s policy towards Gaza was “both necessary and misunderstood”. To bolster his argument, he wrote that “violence and militancy in Gaza is such that even John Ging himself has recently been given extra weaponry, whose entry was facilitated by Israel, for his personal security”. Earlier this month Israeli media reported that Israeli authorities had approved the delivery of four sub-machine-guns to UNRWA for Mr Ging’s protection, following assassination attempts and death threats.

In March 2007, gunmen fired at Mr Ging’s armoured car as it travelled through the territory. A second attack some months later left one Palestinian dead and several wounded.

Mr Ging told the committee he found it “inexplicable that security arrangements are so publicly discussed” by Israeli officials.

“We live and work in a conflict zone, facing threats and acts of extremists every day,” he added.

Senator David Norris said he suspected the issue of Mr Ging’s security was “being used by the Israelis for certain purposes”. In a later statement, committee chairman Michael Woods said it was “almost without precedent for any UN or other official to have his personal security exposed in this way”. Dr Woods said the decision by Mr Modai to send a letter regarding the testimony of a witness in advance of the committee meeting was “unnecessary and undermining”, as well as inappropriate. “It would have made more sense to wait and see what John Ging had to say and then respond if needs be,” he added.

Mr Ging told the committee that, since the easing of the blockade, there had been some improvements in Gaza, with more consumer goods now available. However, Gazans remain in a “very desperate state of aid dependency”, with 80 per cent reliant on food assistance.

Mr Ging also highlighted challenges in terms of Gaza’s infrastructure and economic development, noting that 90 per cent of the territory’s water supply was considered undrinkable by international standards.