UNICEF takes action against senior official accused of spying for Israel

A UN spokesperson confirmed that UNICEF is taking action against a senior official over allegations of spying for Israel in his previous UN job. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said: "UNICEF is aware of the serious allegations and is taking appropriate action." The official, Yahav Liessner, heads the UNICEF office in Washington and has been placed on administrative leave. The investigation by Drop Site News is based on leaked emails from the Handala hacking group, covering 2014 and 2015.

A UN spokesperson confirmed that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is taking action against a senior official over allegations of spying for Israel in his previous UN job. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said: "What I can tell you is that UNICEF is aware of the serious allegations concerning a staff member and is taking appropriate action." He added that such conduct, if true, would be inconsistent with staff obligations under the UN Charter, staff regulations, and standards of conduct for the international civil service. The official, named Yahav Liessner, heads the UNICEF office in Washington, D.C., and has reportedly been placed on administrative leave. According to an investigation by Drop Site News based on leaked emails obtained by the hacking group Handala, Liessner provided confidential UN information to Israeli officials while serving at the UN Population Fund. The leaked emails cover 2014 and 2015.