FAO Gaza Sacking: Benjamin Davis Says Speaking Out Cost Him His UN Job
FAO Gaza Sacking: Benjamin Davis Says Speaking Out Cost Him His UN Job
The FAO Gaza sacking has opened a rift inside the United Nations. Benjamin Davis, who spent 26 years at the Food and Agriculture Organization, says his contract was not renewed because he criticised Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
Davis left the Rome headquarters on Wednesday, September 30, his last day as head of the agency’s Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division. He told AFP he had learned in July that the agency would not renew his contract, accusing him of breaching impartiality rules.
Why Benjamin Davis lost his job
Management gave two reasons, Davis said. The first was the weekly moments of silence FAO staff have held each Thursday since May 22, 2025, over starvation and famine in Gaza.
“They accused me of organizing these moments of silence on the situation of starvation and famine in Gaza,” he told AFP. Davis said the vigils were run by an informal staff group, authorised and coordinated with the security service. Hundreds attended at their height; about 30 to 40 still gather each week.
The second was a May 2025 brief linking calorie availability in Gaza to implications under international humanitarian law. The legal office ordered it taken down.
“We were told to take it down,” Davis said. “We weren’t allowed to make any references to humanitarian law.”
A formal memo on July 1 told Davis his contract would run to September 30 and no further. The director-general, he was told, had lost confidence in his ability to meet the standards of conduct for international civil servants.
Qu Dongyu warns staff against the “human rights game”
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu appeared to address the row on Tuesday at a filmed session on forestry.
“We don’t allow you to play the game here of human rights,” he said. “Of course, human rights is very important, but we have the human rights agency in Geneva. If you want to take care, go there.”
He continued: “That’s why some senior members play the political game here. I fire him… You should follow the FAO constitution… But I’m a very soft person, I didn’t fire that many.” He added: “I will fire more people if they are against the law.”
Asked whether the comments were aimed at him, Davis told AFP: “Absolutely.” He said the director-general had scolded him in public before for being too political, and he was “concerned” by the threat to fire more people.
Fallout from the FAO Gaza sacking
In an interview with The New Humanitarian published on Thursday, Davis said he could not leave without speaking.
“I felt as though I couldn’t just leave quietly. I just wanted people to know what transpired, what happened, and just to see for themselves.”
He called the episode a wider silencing: “It’s the silencing of any discussion of these very basic principles, which I just can’t abide by.”
A source close to FAO told the outlet staff were “distraught” at hearing the head of their organisation talk about firing people at will. FAO did not respond to requests for comment.
The row lands as famine was formally declared in Gaza in August 2025, with 59 per cent of the population still facing crisis levels of hunger.
Davis said he did not regret taking small steps. He urged other UN staff to do what they could: “Don’t despair.”
Frequently asked questions
What is the FAO Gaza sacking?
The case of Benjamin Davis, a 26-year UN food agency veteran whose contract ended on September 30. He says FAO refused to renew it because he joined staff vigils over Gaza and wrote a report on hunger and humanitarian law.
Why were FAO staff holding moments of silence?
Staff have gathered every Thursday since May 22, 2025, to mark starvation and famine in Gaza. The first vigils came during a total blockade of aid, when Palestinians were shot while collecting food at distribution points.
What did the FAO director-general say?
Qu Dongyu told staff: “We don’t allow you to play the game here of human rights,” and warned that staff who violate regulations would be fired. Davis said the remarks were aimed at him.
