Make sure that the US Congress hears about conditions for UNRWA funding renewal

By David Bedein, ISRAEL BEFIND THE NEWS -June 4, 2021

On June 8, 2021, The US Congress will begin to consider renewed US funding for UNRWA – the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. which oversees 59 “temporary” refugee facilities for five million descendants of Arab refugees from the 1948 Arab Israeli war.

The US House Appropriations Subcommittee on State & Foreign Operations will holds hearings discuss UNRWA   It is vital to contact each member of this US Congressional Subcommittee to ask that renewed funds to UNRWA be premised on the following reasonable life-saving conditions:

1. Cancel the new UNRWA war curriculum, based on Jihad, martyrdom and the “right of return by force of arms”, which have no place in UN education, whose theme is “Peace Begins Here”.
2. Disarm UNRWA schools and cease paramilitary training in all UNRWA schools. It is an absurdity that UNRWA, a UN agency with a purported commitment to “peace education”, allows such arms training and missile fire from its premises.
3. Insist that UNRWA dismiss employees affiliated with Hamas in accordance with laws of donor nations that forbid aid to any agency that employs members of a terrorist organization.
4. Introduce UNHCR standards to advance resettlement of fourth and fifth generation refugees from the 1948 war who have spent seven decades relegated to refugee status. Current UNRWA policy is that any Arab refugee resettlement would interfere with the “right of return” to pre-1948 Arab localities. By adopting the stance of Arab maximalists, UNRWA flouts its commitment to the future of Arab refugees from 1948 and their descendants.
5. Demand an audit of donor funds that emanate from 68 nations. This would address documented reports of wasted resources, duplication of services and an undesired flow of cash to the terror groups that dominate UNRWA operations.

Here are the US Congressional Subcommittee Members:

Democrats:

Chairwoman Barbara Lee: Staff: Gregory Adams, Gregory.Adams@mail.house.gov; 202-225-2771

Grace Meng (NY): Staff: Helen Beaudreau, Helen.Beaudreau@mail.house.gov; 202-225-2601

David Price (NC): Staff: Elizabeth Adkins, Elizabeth.Adkins@mail.house.gov; 202-225-1784

Lois Frankel (FL): Staff: Bradley Solyan, Bradley.Solyan@mail.house.gov; 202-225-9890

Norma Torres (CA): Staff: Maryam Janani, Maryam.Janani@mail.house.gov; 202-225-6161

Adriano Espaillat (NY): Staff: Todd Sloves, Todd.Sloves@mail.house.gov; 202-225-4365

Jennifer Wexton (VA): Staff: Mike Lucier, Mike.Lucier@mail.house.gov; 202-225-5136

Republicans:

Ranking Member Hal Rogers (KY): Staff: Austin Gage, Austin.Gage@mail.house.gov; 202-225-4601

Mario Diaz-Balart (FL): Staff: Chris Sweet, Chris.Sweet@mail.house.gov; 202-225-4211

Jeff Fortenberry (NE): Staff: Alan Feyerherm, Alan.Feyerherm@mail.house.gov; 202-225-4806

Guy Reschenthaler (PA): Staff: Mike D’Orazio, Mike.D’orazio@mail.house.gov; 202-225-2065