UNRWA: The Central Obstacle

Once the battles died out and the UN's temporary aid agencies completed their work, the UN established an aid and employment agency known as UNRWA. Unlike any other UN body designated to handle refugees, UNRWA was created especially for the Palestinians. The Arab countries did not want to solve the refugee problem. Therefore, they pressured for the establishment of a temporary agency that would grant humanitarian and economic aid without making efforts to rehabilitate the refugees in any way whatsoever. Time after time, the agency's standing has been extended. UNRWA's current mandate is scheduled to end on June 30, 2008. UNRWA has no mandate to reduce the number of refugees, help them gain citizenship in the countries and areas where they are currently residing, or to recommend that they become citizens in other countries. As opposed to other UN agencies, UNRWA employs masses of refugees in their extensive bureaucratic framework, which serves one objective: to maintain the refugee camps and ensure that the Palestinian problem remains intact.

It is important to note that UNRWA is an enormous organization that affects millions of lives. It operates within the sovereignty of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and the Palestinian Authority (in Judea, Samaria and Gaza Strip). It is reasonable to say that UNRWA has become a seminal factor within the Palestinian population, strengthening the deep sense of Palestinian identity and their status as refugees. This contributes to the transformation of the refugee problem into a crisis that is insoluble and will remain so as long as Israel exists. As long as UNRWA remains in existence the refugee camps will continue to be the "national home" for the Palestinian people. They will continue to serve as hothouses for anti Israel and anti Western terror. The number of refugees will continue to increase and the desire to engage Israel in a direct conflict will continue to strengthen. The Gaza Strip, which is largely comprised of refugees and their offspring, will remain a nightmare for Israel and the world. It will be a haven for Muslim extremists and a factory for suicide bombers.