'Deal of the century' ignores reality
By Francesca Albanese and
Elizabeth Ferris June 21 at 5:00 AM
The so-called deal of the century, heralded by the Trump administration as the solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, will be unveiled, at least in part, at the Bahrain conference in late June. Sources have indicated that one of the topics for discussion will be the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the agency that has provided critical services to millions of Palestinian refugees for nearly 70 years.
The U.S. administration has accused UNRWA of perpetuating the existence of Palestinian refugees and hence being “part of the problem” — rather than part of the solution — between Israel and the Palestinian territories. Such an uninformed opinion, which led to the United States this year curtailing its entire contribution to UNRWA (an average of $360 million annually), ignores both UNRWA’s mandate and the essential facts about Palestinian refugees. It also jeopardizes the United States’ standing as an important international actor for humanitarian aid.
UNRWA was established by the U.N. General Assembly in 1949 primarily to provide relief and assistance to Palestinian refugees until the establishment of a permanent political solution to the conflict. The whole U.N. system established for Palestinian refugees, as recognized under Article 1D of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and of which UNRWA is a lasting part, was a consequence of the events that befell Palestinians between 1947 and 1948.
UNRWA’s initial mandate lasted three years, during which time a political solution would be negotiated. Alas, a political solution still has not been found, and UNRWA has become the longest U.N. “temporary” mandate ever established and has remained a subsidiary body of the General Assembly. By providing some of the highest-quality education in the region, health services, jobs, relief and social services to millions of refugees, UNRWA has ensured refugees’ dignity and resilience and contributed to regional stability ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/06/21/trumps-deal-century-ignores-reality-middle-east/?utm_term=.5e1f080f55fe
