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1 [1] (September 7, 2018)

handle is hein.crs/crsmthzzbix0001 and id is 1 raw text is: CRS INSIGHT Decision to Stop U.S. Funding of UNRWA (for Palestinian Refugees) September 7, 2018 (IN10964) Related Authors Jim- anoti Rhd argesn Jim Zanotti, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs (,zan 1! acrs bc aov 7-1441) Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy (rmar - n r 1 , 7-0425) On August 31, 2018, the S Dat Deparmn nnou n c that the United States will not make further contributions to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), but will seek to help innocent Palestinians through other models and approaches. The U.S. decision to end contributions could greatly affect UNRWA, which provides services for around 5.4 million Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The decision also has other important humanitarian and political implications. The United States has been a major contributor to UNRWA since its establishment shortly after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and provided approximately one-third-of UNRWAs annual budgetin 2017. For additional background, see CRS Report RS22967, LLL Foreign Aid to the Palestinians, by Jim Zanotti. The State Department's statement came shortly after a r nnoncmen that it would reprogram $200 million of already appropriated (FY2017) bilateral economic aid for the West Bank and Gaza for other purposes. In January, the Trump Administration placed contributions to UNRWA and aid to Palestinians on hold pending further review. The following factors have played a role in public debate on the issue: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas's naixe reacion tthe Adminitration's plic on J 1uslm; a particularly challenging security, political, and humanitarian situatin _inGz; 0 h iion f m Tum Adminisraion fficial that too many Palestinians have refugee status, and that UNRWA has prolonged the refugees' demand for a right to return to present-day Israel; and Administration assertions that the United States has disproportionately shouldere th fin ncia uren regarding Palestinin refuge--particularly in relation to Arab Gulf states. In response to the August 31 decision to withhold contributions, UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierr Krahenbuhl aaiA that the responsibility for the protracted nature of the refugee issue lies squarely with the parties and in the international community's lack of will or utter inability to bring about a negotiated and peaceful resolution of the

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