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WORLD NEWS Saturday 25 auguSt 2018

UN official: Palestinian refugee issue can't be wished away

By JOSEF FEDERMAN main U.N. refugee agency.
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Some in Israel have even
head of the U.N. agency tougher criticism, accusing
for Palestinian refugees UNRWA of teaching hatred
suggested that the United of Israel in its classrooms
States slashed his budget and tolerating or assisting
early this year to punish Hamas militants in Gaza.
the Palestinians for their Kraehenbuehl said Israel
criticism of the American has raised similar concerns
recognition of Jerusalem for years, but that there
as Israel's capital, but he has been a "strong inten-
warned that the Palestin- sification" of the criticism
ian refugee issue will not go now that the Trump ad-
away. ministration appears to be
The comments by Pierre in agreement. He rejected
Kraehenbuehl came amid the Israeli claim that his
signs that the U.S., with Is- agency is perpetuating the
raeli support, is aiming to conflict, saying that it is car-
abolish UNRWA in an ap- rying out a U.N.-mandated
parent attempt to remove mission that reflects the will
one of the most conten- of the international com-
tious issues in the Israeli-Pal- munity. Kraehenbuehl said
estinian conflict from the that Israeli claims that the
negotiating agenda. Palestinians are the only
"One cannot simply wish 5 people to pass down refu-
million people away," Krae- gee status to their children
henbuehl, commissioner of also are unfounded, saying
the U.N. Relief and Works that Afghan refugees dis-
Agency, said in an inter- placed decades ago have
view with The Associated the same status.
Press. He also noted that UNRWA
In January, the U.S., the has a committee to moni-
largest donor to the agen- tor the content of its
cy, slashed some $300 mil- classrooms and has con-
lion from its annual contri- demned attempts by Gaza
bution to UNRWA, prompt- In this Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018 photo, the head of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Pal- militants to use UNRWA fa-
ing what Kraehenbuehl estine Refugees, Pierre Kraehenbuehl speaks in interview with The Associated Press in Jerusalem. cilities for cover.
called an unprecedented Associated Press Kraehenbuehl said the best
financial crisis. way to solve these matters
Although he has made ians, who seek east Jerusa- and to undertake "funda- 700,000 Palestinians fled is to find a "political solu-
up some of the deficit by lem as their capital, con- mental reforms." or were forced from their tion" to the Israeli-Palestin-
raising money from other demned the decision and But privately, there are signs homes in the fighting. ian conflict that addresses
countries, the agency still severed nearly all ties with that the American agenda In the absence of a solu- the fate of the refugees.
lacks over $200 million. It the Americans. runs deeper and that the tion, the U.N. General As- In the meantime, he said
recently laid off over 100 "I can say with a great de- Trump administration seeks sembly has repeatedly re- UNRWA's focus is for its
people in the Gaza Strip gree of confidence that the to abolish UNRWA alto- newed UNRWA's mandate. schools to open on sched-
and cut back the hours of decision was not related to gether. The agency now provides ule in early September.
500 other employees. The UNRWA's performance, be- In an internal email recently education, health care For now, he said there are
upcoming school year for cause in November I had published by Foreign Policy and social services to more enough funds to keep the
hundreds of thousands of received very constructive magazine, Kushner called than 5 million refugees and schools running only until
Palestinian children across and openly positive feed- for a "sincere effort to dis- their descendants. It serves the end of the month. An
the Middle East has been back on those issues," he rupt UNRWA." populations in Gaza and aggressive fund-raising ef-
threatened. said. "This (agency) perpetuates the West Bank, as well as fort is under way to ensure
Kraehenbuehl said he "A few weeks later, ten- a status quo, is corrupt, in- Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. the schools operate for the
was caught off guard by sions increased around the efficient and doesn't help Seen by the Palestinians entire academic year.
the American decision, question of Jerusalem," he peace," he reportedly and most of the interna- "I see the courage dis-
which came just weeks af- added. "It appears that wrote. tional community as pro- played by our students in
ter he had held what he the humanitarian funding The Palestinians fear the viding a valuable safety the face of so much adver-
described as a success- to UNRWA got caught up U.S. is putting pressure on net, UNRWA is viewed far sity," he said. "I really find it
ful meeting with Jared in the deep polarization host countries to absorb differently by Israel. very difficult to imagine that
Kushner, President Don- around that question." their refugee populations Prime Minister Benjamin I have to go back to them
ald Trump's son-in-law and The State Department said and eliminate the issue Netanyahu accuses the and tell them that I have
chief Mideast adviser. it is reviewing funding to from future peace negotia- agency of perpetuat- failed and we have failed
He said he still has not got- UNRWA and has not de- tions. The White House says ing the conflict by help- to mobilize the needed re-
ten a straight answer from cided whether to restore it is working on a regional ing promote an unrealistic sources, to keep the one
the Americans about why support in the future. It re- peace plan, though it has Palestinian demand that thing that gives them a cer-
they made their decision. peated its position that not said when it will be re- refugees have the "right of tain prospect in life ... which
But he said he believes it is the agency's repeated leased. return" to long-lost homes is their education. So we
connected to the uproar financial crises are "unsus- UNRWA was established in in what is now Israel. He will knock on every door,
over the U.S. recognition of tainable" and called on it the wake of the 1948 Mid- has said UNRWA should be we will leave no stone un-
Jerusalem as Israel's capital to find other countries to east war surrounding Isra- abolished and its respon- turned until we have good
in December. The Palestin- share the funding burden el's creation. An estimated sibilities taken over by the news on this front."q