From Arutz Sheva: The Israeli Initiative Calls Upon Officials to Close Jerusalem Refugee Camps

(IsraelNN.com) 'The Israeli Initiative,' an Israeli non-governmental organization, called this week to close down refugee camps in Jerusalem. A recent decision regarding refugees living in South Africa sets a precedent allowing cities to shut down camps whose residents refuse to resettle, the group argues.

City officials in Cape Town plan to clear out the local Blue Waters Refugee Camp this week and force its 340 residents to find new accommodations. A Cape Town court ruled that the city could evict refugees from the camp after the refugees rejected the municipality's offers to help them relocate.

The Cape Town verdict demonstrates that cities are not obligated to provide endless support to refugees who refuse to resettle, said the Israeli Initiative. Once refugees are given the option of rebuilding their lives, they can no longer use the “refugee” label to continue living off of aid, they argued.

Ending the saga
The organization turned to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin and to Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and asked them to shut down the Arab refugee camps currently operating within Jerusalem municipal limits. “Rivlin recently said it is disgraceful that there are refugee camps in Jerusalem,” said Israeli Initiative director and former minister Benny Elon. “He's right, of course. Now we need to turn that understanding into action.”

Closing the camps will be beneficial even beyond the Jerusalem city limit, said members of the organization. “The benefit to the city of Jerusalem and to the Palestinian refugees from the end of this sixty-year-long saga will be enormous,” the group said. “And equally importantly, we will create a model here that reminds the world that the refugee problem is a humanitarian problem that can be solved, and there's no need to wait for a diplomatic solution, which apparently is not going to happen in the near future.”

Israeli Initiative manager Yoav Sorek accused the United Nations agency UNWRA, which was tasked with helping Arabs who fled pre-state Israel and their descendants, for the continued existence of refugee camps more than 60 years after the original “Palestinian refugees” left during the War of Independence. UNWRA “sees its goal as keeping the refugees in their current situation,” he charged.

The Cape Town model
The Cape Town case, in which the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) worked to resettle the refugees outside their camp, demonstrates how the refugee issue should be tackled, he said. “The way the UNHCR handled the issue was correct. It was characteristic of an organization that seeks to rehabilitate refugees, an organization that works toward a humanitarian goal and does not serve political agendas,” he said.

The Israeli Initiative seeks to create a new approach to the Israel-Arab conflict. It proposes extending Israeli sovereignty to Judea and Samaria and reaching a peaceful settlement with Palestinian Authority Arabs in cooperation with Jordan. Arabs from the refugee camps would be resettled in various countries and those who remain in Judea and Samaria would have Jordanian citizenship.

Source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/136263

Links Roundup

• MK Orlev of Jewish Home (formerly National Religious Party) evokes The Israeli Initiative in an interview with Arutz Sheva: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/135933
• A Palestinian journalist talks about "the good old days" before the peace process: http://www.hudsonny.org/2010/01/the-good-old-days-beofre-peace.php
• A Palestinian refugee camp in Iraq run by UNHCR is closed: http://news.brunei.fm/2010/02/02/unhcr-end-of-long-ordeal-for-palestinian-refugees-as-desert-camp-closes/

Canada Reallocates UNRWA Funds, As Recommended by "The Israeli Initiative"

Dear readers,

We know we've been slacking in our blog posts lately, but now we're back with a bang! It looks like someone in Canada has been reading The Israeli Initiative's booklet on refugees, since the Canadian Treasure has pulled money out of UNRWA. Here's a release we sent out to the foreign press:

PRESS RELEASE: ISRAELI THINK TANK PRAISES CANADA'S WORK TOWARDS PEACE

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT REALLOCATES UNRWA FUNDS, AS RECOMMENDED BY "THE ISRAELI INITIATVE"

Recently, it was reported that Canada, which until now provided UNRWA (the agency dedicated to providing services to Palestinian refugees) with 11% of its budget, has reallocated some of its usual donation from UNRWA to the Palestinian Authority justice system.

Victor Toews, president of Canada's Treasury Board told the Jerusalem Post that this move will help "ensure accountability and foster democracy," as well as make sure that government funds will only go to "programs that are consistent with Canadian values."

The Israeli Initiative, a Jerusalem-based think tank, commends Canada's bravery in going against the UNRWA-supporting herd.

"Canada is setting an example for the nations of the world," said Lahav Harkov, spokesperson for The Israeli Initiative. "The Canadian Treasury Board is right in saying that UNRWA programs are inconsistent with its values; in fact, UNRWA is run in a way that contradicts many countries' values. For example, the agency UNRWA employs members of terrorist groups, as former Commissioner-General Peter Hansen has admitted. Despite this, many nations send millions of dollars each year to UNRWA."

"Many UNRWA camps are essentially run by Hamas, a terrorist group voted in by the refugees to manage URNWA activites," explained Yoav Sorek, manager of the Israeli Initiative. "Hamas inserts inflammatory material against the West and Israel into the curricula of UNRWA schools, and is even thought to have shot missiles from UNRWA schools in Gaza. It seems that Canada has finally taken a stand against this injustice "

While The Israeli Initiative does not agree with supporting the Palestinian Authority, it sees dismantling UNRWA as the first step towards a lasting, stable peace in the region. "UNRWA does not have a mandate to resettle refugees, which is the real way to solve any refugee problem," said Sorek. "Once a different, more effective agency takes care of the Palestinian refugees, it will be easier to work towards peace. Canada has done the morally correct thing in cutting its donations to UNRWA."

For more information: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1263147877187&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

Links Roundup: The Palestinian Refugee Situation

Here is a selection of interesting links we've collected over the past two weeks on URWA and the Palestinian refugees:

• Canada: Revive Refugee Committee - Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon told Israeli President Shimon Peres that he seeks to revive the 1991 multilateral committee to resolve the refugee problem.
• No Way Home: The Tragedy of the Palestinian Diaspora - Judith Miller and David Samuels retell how the Arab countries abandoned their Palestinian brothers, causing and perpetuating the humanitarian tragedy that is the Palestinian refugee issue.
• Blocking UNRWA's Terror Ties - An interview with Middle East analyst Asaf Romirowsky on the UNRWA and its ties to terror.
• No to Even-Handedness - Israel Correspondent Stephen Kramer points out the UN's favoritism towards the Palestinians.

In Honor of Sukkot - A Universal Solution

The holiday of Sukkot, while a Jewish festival, is also a universal festival. In the book of Zechariah it is mentioned that kings of the nations will come up to Jerusalem to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot. In the Talmud it mentions that on Sukkot 70 sacrifices are brought for the seventy nations of the world.

The message of the Israeli Initiative, while outwardly focusing only on Israel, encompasses an important universal message. The Palestinian- Israeli conflict is based on the hatred of Arab leaders towards the Jewish people and State of Israel. This animosity was what brought Arab leaders to call for their own people to become refugees, with the knowledge that if they don’t win the war, these refugees will be the way to continually delegitimize the Jewish people and State of Israel.

The refugee problem has remained a humanitarian catastrophe and evolved into a national movement which refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, thus rejecting Israel. This refugee crisis has swallowed up billions of dollars, which are annually contributed to the perpetuation of the refugee problem by undiscerning Western nations who feel that they are only aiding helpless people. Yet, those responsible for the humanitarian crisis barely contribute to their displaced brothers.

This refugee crisis has brought up millions of Palestinians on dependence, irresponsibility, and with no hope of ever leading normal lives.
This refugee crisis led to the forming of UNRWA, which, despite providing humanitarian relief, has itself become a political Palestinian movement. Only yesterday, the head of UNRWA Karen Abu Zayd, warned of a third intifada if Palestinians aren’t allowed to pray in the Al-Aqsa mosque, thus becoming a voice for Palestinian terrorism. Furthermore, the organization takes care of the Palestinian social needs, giving Palestinian leaders the ability to act with carelessness and lack of responsibility to their own people.

Solving the refugee issue, which is the key to solving the Palestinian problem, is one our main goals, but the refugee problem isn’t something that is only connected to Israel, it is universal. When the refugee problem is solved, billions of dollars will be freed up to focus on the remaining refugees around the world. The Palestinians have the ability to become productive members of many of the world’s societies that are in need of them. There are countries in Europe who need jobs to be filled by people. Canada has an aging workforce and is need of all types of workers. One Australian state reported gains of three billion dollars because of immigration to their country. The OECD has said that immigration is economically a positive thing for countries.

There is something more to the refugee issue beyond economic benefits. Those who are adamant in keeping the Palestinians in their refugee status are essentially continuing the hatred that was planted sixty years ago, and are now reaping fruits. Those trying to rehabilitate the refugees are the real champions of peace. Once the refugees are rehabilitated the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be reduced to normal dimensions. This is the reason why Arab nations can never accept the Palestinians as permanent residents in their host countries.

-Gideon

If This What A Moderate Looks Like, Clearly There Is No Palestinian Partner For Peace

Through a miraculous PR coup, Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayad has been labeled a "moderate voice of leadership" for a Palestinian state, after distributing a position paper entitled "Ending the Occupation, Establishing the State: Program of the Thirteenth Government - August 2009" to the UN, EU and American and Russian governments. In an article for Philadelphia newspaper "The Bulletin," David Bedein shows how immoderate Fayad really is.

The paper, which has been promoted by the Geneva Accord's website, has an abstract that calls for "peace, security and stability in our region on the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital." As Bedein points out, it seems that no one bothered reading past the first page.

Throughout the position paper, Fayad refers to Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state, not East Jerusalem. He accuses Israel, "the occupying authority," of "implementing a systematic plan…and eradicating [Jerusalem's] Arab Palestinian heritage." His plan includes returning all refugees and their descendants to their pre-1948 homes according to UN General Assembly Resolution 194. He also demands the release of Palestinians convicted of murder or attempted murder from Israeli prisons, because Fayad seems to think that jailing Palestinians who committed capital crimes is a "violation of international law and basic human rights."

If this is the "moderate voice of leadership" amongst Palestinians, it is clear that there is no Palestinian partner for peace. It is impossible to negotiate with a group that supports murderers and denies the legitimacy of Israel's capital. For this reason and many others, the Palestinian Authority is an obstacle to peace and a danger to the entire region. Therefore, an alternative partner must be found: Jordan.

The Israeli Initiative favors strategic cooperation with the Kingdom of Jordan as the sole representative of the Palestinians. Should Jordan grant citizenship to the Palestinians of Judea and Samaria, the Palestinian Authority could be disarmed and would no longer be recognized as a representative body. With Jordanian citizens in Judea and Samaria, the refugees would no longer be refugees, Iranian influence on the Palestinians would be diminished, and regional stability would be increased.

For more information on the Israeli Initiative and cooperation with Jordan, click here.

For Bedein's article, click here.

For Salam Fayad's position paper, click here

UN General Assembly Celebrates 60 Years of UNRWA's Lack of Acheivements

Agency Has Perpetuated Palestinian "Refugeehood" For Sixty Years

This week's United Nations General Assembly has been marked by a week-long commemoration of 60 years of "achievements and service" by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). At a press conference in New York, Karen Koning Abu-Zayd, Commisioner-General of UNRWA, declared that the commemoration was a tribute to the refugees themselves, who thrived "despite being refugees for such a long time and under occupation for 40 of those 60 years." She also emphasized the importance of aiding refugee youth.

It is hard to understand what achievements UNRWA has had that are worth celebrating. Although the agency provides services such as food and education to Palestinian refugees, it has helped cause stagnation and complacency with their current status. While all other refugees, treated by UNHCR, the United Nations High Commisioner for Refugees, are resettled within two years, Palestinian refugees have remained in camps for 60 years, without help in rehabilitation from UNRWA.

"Western countries, which have sought to help the Palestinians, have, over the course of six decades, donated millions to UNRWA – an agency that has not rehabilitated even one refugee, and never will," emphasized former Israeli cabinet minister Benny Elon, founder of The Israeli Initiative. "UNRWA does not serve the Palestinian population; rather, it serves the Palestinian national narrative, and thus eternalizes the conflict, offering the refugees war and blood instead of welfare and life. The time has come to stop the cash flow to UNRWA and once and for all, with a just solution, deal with the refugee problem. Transferring the refugees to UNHCR's care, after 60 years under UNRWA, would be such a solution."

According to Israeli Initiative researcher Gideon Israel, "Sources working in the refugee camps have reported that 90% of the refugees in Gaza would like to emigrate to Western countries, and there are similar statistics for other Palestinian refugees. Contrary to the myth that no states are willing to accept refugees, there are actually many that would absorb Palestinian refugees, such as Canada or Chile. In fact, Palestinian refugees in Iraq were recently relocated to Iceland, Slovakia, Norway and the United States. However, these refugees were under UNHCR's care, not UNRWA. "

Although Abu-Zayd claimed that her greatest wish is to see the end of Palestinian refugeehood, UNRWA's actions speak louder than their words, and those actions say that UNRWA plays no part in rehabilitating refugees. Millions of Palestinians under UNRWA's care are sentenced to remain refugees forever – that is, as long as the State of Israel exists.

There is also an issue with Abu-Zayd's emphasis of the so-called occupation. The majority of Palestinian refugees are not in Israel, therefore the claim that most have been under occupation for 40 years is wrong. Israel cannot be blamed for the refugee situation, when there are many options that are not being sought for the Palestinian refugees, such as the ten countries which have agreed to participate in the UNHCR's refugee absorption program.