Israel reacts with anger after UN aid worker is relocated over Islamic Jihad tweet

Israel reacted with anger after a UN aid worker was relocated from her Jerusalem-based post for using her Twitter account to condemn rocket fire from Gaza.

Sarah Muscroft was removed from her post after coming under criticism from some activists who suggested she was blaming Palestinians for the cross-border violence earlier this month.

Muscroft tweeted: “Relieved to see a ceasefire agreed ending hostilities impacting both Palestinians and Israeli civilians.

“Such indiscriminate rocket fire of Islamic Jihad provoking Israeli retaliation is condemned.

“The safety of all civilians is paramount — the ceasefire must be upheld.”

She later deleted the tweet – and, subsequently, her entire Twitter account.

Gilad Erdan, the Israeli ambassador the United Nations, has written to the UN Secretary-General asking for Muscroft’s reinstatement.

He wrote: “While we have not always agreed with all of Ms. Muscroft’s tweets, or those of her UN counterparts, Israeli disagreement or criticism has been expressed in a normative way.

“However, Israel is disturbed to see that Palestinian outrage over tweets would so quickly devolve into ending the ability of a senior UN staffer to keep her job, and to express herself.”

Up to 49 Palestinians, including 17 children, were killed in Gaza after Israel launched a series of air strikes against Palestinian Islamic Jihad on 5 August.

In response, PIJ unleashed over 600 rockets on southern Israel before a ceasefire was agreed two days later.