MEDIA RELEASES

Statement on recently announced US funding cuts to UNRWA

Sep 5, 2018 | AIJAC

A Palestinian man walks past the building of the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City on January 8, 2018.
(Photo MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images)
A Palestinian man walks past the building of the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City on January 8, 2018. (Photo MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images)

“It has long been clear that, for anyone who wants a genuine and sustainable Israeli-Palestinian two-state resolution, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has been part of the problem that prevents that from happening. By using a unique definition of ‘refugee’ to encompass ever-growing numbers of Palestinians descended from the refugees of the 1948 war, by discouraging them from resettling, and by promoting to them, and all but promising, a legally baseless and functionally impossible ‘right of return’, UNRWA has made peace much harder to achieve.

“In view of this, efforts to pressure and, if necessary, defund UNRWA in its current form, and reform it, are essential steps toward promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace and, on that level, the withdrawal of UNRWA funding by the Trump Administration is welcome. Yet by the same token, no one wants to see Palestinians lose access to education, health care and other welfare services that UNRWA provides – both for humanitarian reasons, and because, as Israel’s security sector has pointed out, withdrawing such funding and services risks causing an escalation in violence from the West Bank and Gaza. AIJAC therefore calls on the Australian government to reassess its contributions to UNRWA with a view to reallocating that money so that it continues to help provide essential services and development aid to Palestinians without the dangerous baggage that UNRWA brings to the provision of such services – baggage which is counterproductive to the long-standing bipartisan Australian policy of promoting a genuine, negotiated two-state resolution.”

Readers also may find of interest research by AIJAC’s Naomi Levin on Australian aid to the Palestinians, including via UNRWA, specifically these two articles:

RELATED ARTICLES


Section 93Z of the NSW Crimes Act 1900

AIJAC welcomes the passage of improved NSW race hate laws

Dec 1, 2023 | Featured, Media Releases
Pro-Palestinian protestors waiting in the lobby for the Israeli families of those murdered or taken hostage by Hamas

AIJAC questions handling of pro-Palestinian protestors ambushing visiting families of Israeli murder victims and hostages

Nov 30, 2023 | Featured, Media Releases
(Source: Pixabay)

AIJAC applauds Federal Government’s announcement of Nazi salute ban

Nov 28, 2023 | Featured, Media Releases
The 13 hostages freed on Friday evening

AIJAC statement on release of hostages by Hamas

Nov 26, 2023 | Featured, Media Releases
City,Of,Melbourne,,Vic/australia June,10th,2018:,Logo,Of,Department,Of

AIJAC response to visa announcement

Nov 22, 2023 | Featured, Media Releases
NSW Premier Chris Minns (source: Shutterstock)

AIJAC welcomes Prosecution of threats and incitement to violence bill in NSW

Nov 21, 2023 | Featured, Media Releases

SIGN UP FOR AIJAC EMAILS

RECENT POSTS

Section 93Z of the NSW Crimes Act 1900

AIJAC welcomes the passage of improved NSW race hate laws

Pro-Palestinian protestors waiting in the lobby for the Israeli families of those murdered or taken hostage by Hamas

AIJAC questions handling of pro-Palestinian protestors ambushing visiting families of Israeli murder victims and hostages

Masked members of the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas (Image: Shutterstock)

A powerless Hamas is the only way this war will end

Pie Chart

News reports whitewash the crimes of Palestinian prisoners being released

(Image: Shutterstock)

The silence about Hamas’ ongoing war crimes

Section 93Z of the NSW Crimes Act 1900

AIJAC welcomes the passage of improved NSW race hate laws

Pro-Palestinian protestors waiting in the lobby for the Israeli families of those murdered or taken hostage by Hamas

AIJAC questions handling of pro-Palestinian protestors ambushing visiting families of Israeli murder victims and hostages

Masked members of the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas (Image: Shutterstock)

A powerless Hamas is the only way this war will end

Pie Chart

News reports whitewash the crimes of Palestinian prisoners being released

(Image: Shutterstock)

The silence about Hamas’ ongoing war crimes

SORT BY TOPICS