John Ging
Encyclopedia
John Ging is an Irish national and former officer in the Irish Army
who has served as head of the United Nation's Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip
since 2006. As head of the United Nations' 10,000 employee operation there, he became a sought-after commentator by the media and an information source for foreign governments during Israel
's 2008-2009 offensive in Gaza
.
. In 1983, he joined the army, where he rose to the rank of captain. Along the way he earned a BA in political science and a degree in law from the National University of Ireland, Galway
and subsequently qualified as a barrister.
, mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. According to colleagues who worked with him at the time, he took on difficult jobs like arranging the mass burial of 40,000 refugees who died when cholera swept through their camp.
he worked for eight years as Chief of Staff for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina
. Following that he had a brief stint as head of the United Nation's mission in Kosovo
.
Ging voluntarily resigned his commission in 2002 and, following his departure from Kosovo, he took up his position as Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza.
Ging has overseen the agency's roughly $450 million budget in Gaza since February 1, 2006, responsible for development programs as well as for providing basic needs to 1.1 million refugees. In 2007, he survived an assassination attempt by unidentified gunmen. He gained international prominence during the 2008-2009 Israeli offensive in Gaza as he warned of a humanitarian "catastrophe unfolding" as a consequence of the fighting and criticized Israel for firing upon UN compounds and other buildings he described as non-military. On January 9, 2009 Ging suspended UN aid work in Gaza after a UN aid convoy and a number of UN buildings were hit by Israeli fire, saying he'd "lost confidence" that aid work could continue safely. Ging ordered UN aid work to resume in Gaza after a cease-fire was established on January 18, 2009, though there were signs that Ging's operation could be hampered by intra-Palestinian disputes.
In the summer of 2007 a second attempt was made on Ging's life. The attack left one Palestinian dead and 7 wounded.
In 2010 "there was an attack on a site where the UNRWA was hosting summer games for children from Gaza. Three bullets and a note were left behind as a warning for Mr. Ging".
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
who has served as head of the United Nation's Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
since 2006. As head of the United Nations' 10,000 employee operation there, he became a sought-after commentator by the media and an information source for foreign governments during Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's 2008-2009 offensive in Gaza
2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
The Gaza War, known as Operation Cast Lead in Israel and as the Gaza Massacre in the Arab world, was a three-week bombing and invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israel, and hundreds of rocket attacks on south of Israel which...
.
Early life
Ging grew up one of four brothers in Portlaoise. He attended secondary school at the Salesian College in BallinakillBallinakill
Ballinakill is a small village in County Laois, Ireland on the R432 regional road between Abbeyleix, Ballyragget and Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny-Landmarks:...
. In 1983, he joined the army, where he rose to the rank of captain. Along the way he earned a BA in political science and a degree in law from the National University of Ireland, Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
and subsequently qualified as a barrister.
Humanitarian mission in Africa
In 1994 Ging was seconded by the Irish government to work with the Irish aid agency GOAL to oversee relief efforts in the wake of the Rwandan GenocideRwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
, mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. According to colleagues who worked with him at the time, he took on difficult jobs like arranging the mass burial of 40,000 refugees who died when cholera swept through their camp.
Working in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo
After his time in AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
he worked for eight years as Chief of Staff for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. Following that he had a brief stint as head of the United Nation's mission in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
.
Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza
Ging has overseen the agency's roughly $450 million budget in Gaza since February 1, 2006, responsible for development programs as well as for providing basic needs to 1.1 million refugees. In 2007, he survived an assassination attempt by unidentified gunmen. He gained international prominence during the 2008-2009 Israeli offensive in Gaza as he warned of a humanitarian "catastrophe unfolding" as a consequence of the fighting and criticized Israel for firing upon UN compounds and other buildings he described as non-military. On January 9, 2009 Ging suspended UN aid work in Gaza after a UN aid convoy and a number of UN buildings were hit by Israeli fire, saying he'd "lost confidence" that aid work could continue safely. Ging ordered UN aid work to resume in Gaza after a cease-fire was established on January 18, 2009, though there were signs that Ging's operation could be hampered by intra-Palestinian disputes.
Assassination attempts and death treats
Ging has survived two assassination attempts. On March 16, 2007, a "masked gunman fired at least 14 bullets at Ging's armoured car as it travelled through Gaza". Sources in UNWRA, reported that Ging's armoured vehicle was attacked by three gunmen. According to that source 11 bullets pierced the armored vehicle although Ging was not hurt. According to UNRWA spokeswoman Gina Benevento the attack was a kidnapping attempt. Benevento said that the gunmen used a car to block Ging's convoy and attempted to force him out of his armored vehicle. "When it became clear that the vehicle doors were locked, they opened fire directly on the car, resulting in 11 bullet holes in the vehicle's side."In the summer of 2007 a second attempt was made on Ging's life. The attack left one Palestinian dead and 7 wounded.
In 2010 "there was an attack on a site where the UNRWA was hosting summer games for children from Gaza. Three bullets and a note were left behind as a warning for Mr. Ging".