Want to Free the Palestinians? End UNRWA Funding. - by Shoshana Bryen

...UNRWA may not believe great-grandchildren of the original refugees will one day claim apartments in Tel Aviv, but as one of the largest UN agencies, it has an interest in self-perpetuation — which means lying to refugees about the chances of a “right of return” ever occurring. UNRWA has an interest in a) keeping the refugees poor enough to need them and b) cozying up to repressive Palestinian governments — Hamas and the Palestinian Authority — and terror organizations, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, to continue working.

Shoshana Bryen..
Algemeiner .com..
09 January '18..

It is time to resolve the issue of the imprisoned Palestinian population — the one imprisoned by the United Nations, and its own unrealistic vision of the future.

President Donald Trump’s announcement that the US contribution to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) could be eliminated might be the catalyst for important and positive changes — if people can get over the moaning and crying about the issue.

It’s not likely.

The US contributes more than $368 million annually to UNRWA, more than double the next two closest donors and more than quadruple the next several on the list. But the top three donors provide more than half UNRWA’s budget — leaving lots and lots of rich countries that could fill the gap if they choose.

They shouldn’t do it.

UNRWA is a huge impediment to actionable understanding in the Arab world — and particularly among Palestinians — that Israel is a legitimate and permanent part of the Middle East. Making Israel real to people who delude themselves on that point is key to honest negotiations about the future of a Palestinian state.

(Continue to Full Post)

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. 

.