FAO official says he lost his job after criticizing Israeli policies in Gaza

An official at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has said he lost his job after criticizing Israeli policies in Gaza, according to Al Jazeera.

The official said he was told his contract would not be renewed, with the agency citing an alleged breach of impartiality tied to his public comments on the situation in Gaza. He has characterized the decision as retaliation for speaking out, though the FAO's stated rationale centered on its impartiality standards for staff.

The case touches on a broader tension facing United Nations agencies operating amid the Gaza war: staff members are generally expected to maintain neutrality in public statements, even as many humanitarian workers say the scale of civilian suffering in Gaza has made silence difficult to sustain. Other UN-affiliated staff and officials have similarly faced scrutiny or disciplinary action over public remarks on the conflict since fighting began.

The FAO, a UN agency focused on food security and agriculture, has been involved in assessments of food insecurity in Gaza throughout the war, including repeated warnings about famine risk in the territory. It is not clear from available reporting whether the agency has issued a detailed public response to the official's claims.

The dispute underscores the difficulty international organizations face in balancing institutional neutrality with growing pressure from staff and outside observers to speak plainly about conditions on the ground. Further details about the specific comments that prompted the decision, and any formal appeal process available to the official, were not immediately available.