The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has failed to implement hate speech and antisemitism-related reforms recommended by an UNRWA-established Independent Review Group, according to an IMPACT-se analysis published on Thursday.
The Independent Review Group, led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna and known as the Colonna Report, was ordered in 2024 following public outcry over concerns about UNRWA's teaching materials, staff conduct, and ties to Hamas.
Colonna found that much of UNRWA’s educational materials “constitute a grave violation of neutrality” and ordered the agency “stop using such material,” along with 49 other recommendations.
Many donor nations temporarily froze funding for UNRWA in light of the findings, with the resumption of donations conditional on implementing Colonna’s recommendations.
IMPACT-se analyzed UNRWA progress reports, funding requests, statements, and teaching materials between April 2024 and May 2026 to assess UNRWA’s implementation.
Eighth-grade textbook glorified suicide bombings
The analysis found that UNRWA not only failed to meaningfully implement many of Colonna’s recommendations but also lowered the threshold for considering recommendations complete.
UNRWA additionally revised its reporting methodology, which, according to IMPACT-se, led to the appearance of “a substantially accelerated rate of implementation.”
For example, one of the Colonna Report’s recommendations required UNRWA to immediately stop using teaching materials containing incitement to violence, hate speech, and antisemitism. Upon analyzing UNRWA textbooks, IMPACT-se found continued use of textbooks that glorify violence and terrorism.
One eighth-grade Arabic language textbook contains reading comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary exercises that praise the slashing of Israelis’ throats and glorify suicide bombings.
Another of Colonna’s recommendations required that UNRWA review the content of textbooks with Israel and the Palestinian Authority. According to IMPACT-se, Israel was not invited to participate in any review despite UNRWA reporting that the recommendation was completed.
IMPACT-se stated that by not establishing the review mechanism, UNRWA has maintained the sole responsibility for determining what constitutes hate speech and violence, without any independent oversight.
Even though UNRWA has not properly implemented Colonna’s suggestions, many donor governments cited results from the newly implemented reporting methodology as a reason to continue funding UNRWA.
IMPACT-se warned that the findings of their analysis suggest that “the Colonna process has thus far functioned more as a framework for procedural compliance than as a mechanism for deep institutional reform,” warning that UNRWA is creating the appearance of progress without actually resolving the concerns that prompted the Colonna investigation.