ROME – The diplomatic community has been stunned by the apparent suspension ‘pending investigation’ of the respected director of communications at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in a mysterious saga evidently linked to the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, diplomatic sources say.

 “IFAD is a fiunancial institution relying on financing from key donors and is very vulnerableto interventions from Arab countries,” one Rome-based diplomat told the Insider crypitically. He did not elaborate.

 IFAD’s normally helpful press office did not respond to requests for information about the status of Ms Helene Papper, a French journalist with long experience of working for the United Nations media apparatus.

 Ms Papper did not respond to requests for comment.

 jf