Expose UNRWA's absurdity - Calev Myers

by Calev Myers

It is time to pass the ball to the court of our adversaries, in this case the U.N., and expose its hypocrisy and double standards. Most importantly, we must highlight the fact that the U.N. is the entity largely responsible for the suffering of the Palestinians, by means of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.

The U.N. report on Operation Protective Edge was predictable. The harsh and one-sided criticism of Israel, the turning of a blind eye to Hamas' war crimes and the piercing remarks against Israel proved that nothing has changed in regard to the U.N.'s lack of fairness and fairness.

The Israeli government's response to the report, ranging from disregard to criticism, was legitimate, but not something that would change the balance of the relationship between Israel and the U.N. The extent of the condemnation Israel has endured from the U.N. and several of its subsidiary bodies is enough to understand the biased rules of the game the U.N. is playing. 

It is time to pass the ball to the court of our adversaries, in this case the U.N., and expose its hypocrisy and double standards. Most importantly, we must highlight the fact that the U.N. is the entity largely responsible for the suffering of the Palestinians, by means of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. 

For this reason, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice has decided to launch a campaign calling for the dissolution of UNRWA and the absorption of its powers by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The campaign will mainly address members of the U.S. Congress. In a video we produced, we present the absurdity of UNRWA's activities. 

UNRWA and UNHCR both work with displaced persons. UNHCR is responsible for integrating refugees in their host countries, while UNRWA focuses solely on refugee aid. In effect, UNRWA helps Palestinians preserve their refugee status and pass it on from generation to generation, contrary to the logic and policy of UNHCR.

Refugees living in Arab countries are ostracized, persecuted and devoid of basic human rights. This is the main harm caused to Palestinian refugees by UNRWA.

JIJ chose to turn to members of the U.S. Congress because the U.S. is the largest financial supporter of the U.N. and, as we know, he who has the gold makes the rules. 

The appeal to Congress, via Israel-loving activists, is meant to get elected U.S. officials to freeze assistance to the U.N. to bring about the dismantlement of UNRWA and the transfer its powers to UNHCR, with the goal of settling refugees in the countries in which they live.

JIJ, whose core activity is promoting human rights and fighting the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel, operates based on a unique strategy -- go on the offense rather than play defense. In the advocacy campaigns I have organized on campuses across the U.S., I have shown how Palestinian leaders have been hurting their citizens and how religious minorities are persecuted in the Palestinian Authority.

This strategy has proven to be highly effective in getting the message across. The campaign we are currently launching against UNRWA embodies the same strategy. The time has come to take off our gloves in the public diplomacy war. And the time has also come to reveal the true face of the U.N. and its agencies. After all, war is war.

Calev Myers is the founder of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice.

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=13005

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