David Gerstman sent me this IHT op-ed a few days ago, along with an acerbic comment about how photographs posted on MR the week before had pre-relegated it to the "utter anti-Israel bullshit" pile (my language, not David's). The author is Michael Martin, foreign minister of the multicultural paradise that is Ireland:
Last week I visited Gaza... to see for myself the impact of a blockade that has now been imposed on the people of Gaza for some two-and-a-half years and to meet with the courageous and dedicated staff of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), including its director of operations, Irishman John Ging... the deprivations and hardships resulting from the blockade were all too evident. Visiting an UNRWA food distribution center, I could see for myself the despair and suffering etched in the faces of those who queued for the most basic rations of rice, milk powder and sunflower oil... UNRWA is encountering increasing levels of abject poverty where people basically do not have enough food, even with their meager food allocations, to live.The tragedy of Gaza is that it is fast in danger of becoming a tolerated humanitarian crisis... One can imagine how hard it is not to give in to despair and hopelessness... what was most impressive and heartening during my visit was the resilience and incredible dignity of ordinary people. In particular, I want to mention two young girls whom I met during a visit to the UNRWA girls' preparatory school in Rafah... I was similarly struck by what I heard from a business group at the Karni industrial park. This group of predominantly young businessmen and women graphically described the devastation that has been wrought on the private sector in Gaza, an economy that is now only operating at some 10-15 percent of capacity.
In no particular order: Gaza's economy has been booming for years, the "no food" canard is especially dishonest, pretending that Hamas allows Gaza women to have business careers is risible, the Gaza private sector is financially overwhelmed by Hamas and Fatah public employers using Iranian and US funds, the UN has at times imposed its own blockade on Gaza, and whatever humanitarian crisis does exist is deliberately manufactured by Hamas. But that's not what we're here to discuss.
What we're here to discuss is how the Canadians - who as a nation have never met an anti-Israel NGO they didn't want to subsidize - have cut off UNRWA's funding because it's a cesspool of incitement and corruption. The Obama administration? Exactly the opposite:
Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Eric P. Schwartz welcomed Filippo Grandi, recently appointed Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to Washington DC on March 11, 2010, and announced that the U.S. will make an additional planned contribution of $55 million to UNRWA. The United States is UNRWA's largest donor. The announced contribution of $55 million includes $30 million to UNRWA's General Fund, which provides core services to Palestinian refugees across the region, and $25 million to UNRWA's Emergency Appeal for the West Bank and Gaza. This additional funding will bring total U.S contributions to UNRWA thus far in Fiscal Year 2010 to $95 million. In 2009, the United States provided more than $267 million to UNRWA.
UNRWA's 60th birthday party in 2009 - yes, they're now caring for 5th generation "refugees" - became a major fund raising event. Not enough! The UN says they need $100 million more for this year. And really, how can you not give them additional money? In between covering up Hamas's aid supply hijacking and fabricating Israeli attacks on schools - well, they get things done:
Heather Robinson wonders why we're paying UNRWA to teach martyrdom to Palestinian kids. The apparent answer, per the "courageous and dedicated" John Ging, is that it's Israel's fault. UNRWA textbooks only teach kids to fire rockets at Israeli civilians, you see, because Israel won't permit paper into the Gaza Strip. If only Israel was to lift the blockade, UNRWA would be able to print new textbooks. Really. That's what Ging - a fully-vetted career United Nations diplomat - actually said. That happened.
He also once issued a memo telling UNRWA employees to hide their extensive terror links. That was probably an equally execrable move. Though - in fairness - not nearly as stupid.
References:
* Gaza a Year Later [IHT]
* Aww... Glut Of Gaza Products Putting Small-Time Smugglers Out Of Business [MR]
* Hey Ireland, Shove It [MR]
* Gaza's Booming Economy - Underground Mall System, Hundreds Of Supermarkets, Latest Fashions (Plus: New Gaza Tunnel Wasn't For Smuggling) [MR]
* Breathless HuffPo Headline About Gazans Eating Grass Contradicted By Rest Of Headline, Linked Picture, Reality (Plus: Anti-Semitic Comments Ensue Anyway) [MR]
* Hey Gals, Check This Out - Israeli Woman Wins Chemistry Nobel Prize, Hamas Bans Women From Riding Motorcycles [MR]
* Who are the new Hamas recruits in Gaza? [Ha'aretz]
* UN Imposes Collective Punishment On Gaza Population In Response To Hamas Crimes, Suspends Humanitarian Shipments [MR]
* Palestinian Authority: Of Course Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Is Manufactured By Hamas (Plus: United Nations Still Trying To Blame Israel) [MR]
* Jews Applaud, PA & UNRWA Slam Canada's Funding Change [A7]
* United States to Assist Palestinian Refugees [State.gov]
* As UNRWA turns 60, it asks for more funding for Palestinian refugees [Ha'aretz]
* UN says needs $100 in 2010 for Palestinian refugees [AFP]
* UNRWA now admits Hamas stole aid (updated) [Elder Of Ziyon]
* UN: "Clerical Error" Made Us Mistakenly Think Israel Bombed UNRWA School. Opps. [MR]
* UNRWA is part of the problem (video) [Elder of Ziyon]
* Will $40 Million US Tax Dollars Subsidize UN Agency That Tolerates Teaching Martyrdom to Palestinian Kids? [Robinson / HuffPo]
* UNRWA: It's Israel's Fault That Our Schools Teach Kids To Be Terrorists [MR]
* Embarrassed UNRWA to Workers: 'Hide Terror Links' [A7]
Related Mere Rhetoric Categories:
* United Nations
* Multilateralism
* Diplomacy
