Hijacking Legitimacy and Aid: When Violent Nonstate Actors Coerce International Organizations

• In Event: 30455 - Complexities of Conflict: Dynamics, Responses, and Ethical Dimensions

Abstract

Aid and development efforts in conflict zones are frequently vulnerable to manipulation by violent nonstate actors (VNSAs), particularly when these actors serve as de facto rulers. This study examines how VNSAs infiltrate and coerce international organizations, using the case of Hamas and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). While previous research has documented VNSAs' pursuit of legitimacy and resources through political, economic, and criminal means, this paper highlights a distinct strategy: the systematic infiltration and exploitation of international organizations. Drawing on official reports and open sources, we analyze Hamas' evolving relationship with UNRWA from its takeover of Gaza in 2007 to the present. We find that Hamas gradually increased its influence over the agency, embedding operatives within its ranks and coercing it into compliance. The recent Israel-Hamas war further exposed Hamas' use of UNRWA facilities for military purposes and direct involvement of UNRWA employees in supporting the group. Our findings suggest that as Hamas consolidated control over Gaza, it was able to exert greater pressure on UNRWA, effectively co-opting its legitimacy, resources, and operational framework. This case study contributes to the broader understanding of VNSAs' interactions with international organizations, offering insights into the mechanisms and implications of such infiltration in conflict settings.

Authors

• Ori Swed, Texas Tech University

• Daniel Burland, Command and General Staff College