Israel said today that after 25 years, “the time has come to take a fresh look” at the Palestine refugee problem “and prepare the way for a constructive settlement. in the framework of peace and regional and international cooperation.” That statement was made by Ambassador Jacob Doron of Israel to the Special Political Committee on contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA).
Doron charged that the Arab countries “have considered it in their political interest to perpetuate the problem of the refugees and to use them as a weapon in their campaign against Israel.” He said that over the years, the Arab countries have “rejected any kind of constructive solution of the refugee problem and have thus caused the perpetuation of the Agency of UNRWA. They can not, at the same time, escape the consequences of their attitude and try to saddle the entire world with the cost of their political strategy.”
Referring to UNRWA’s perpetual deficit, he said, “the Arab countries should plug this hole in the UNRWA budget by assigning for this purpose a tiny fraction of one percent of their oil income,”
The United States announced at the Special Committee’s session yesterday that the U.S. would increase its contribution to UNRWA in 1975. The U.S. representative. William E. Schaufele; said the U.S. pledged $24.94 million pending a request to Congress to authorize a 15 percent increase, bringing the American share to $26.8 million for the next fiscal year. in fiscal 1974. the U.S. contributed $24.2 million plus a $4.2 million emergency payment for a total of $28.4 million of the $86.4 million the agency received from all governments this year.
Schaufele hinted strongly that the oil rich Arab states should increase their share of the burden when he remarked, “It is imperative that other governments make new, increased or additional contributions.” Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, gave $650,000 to UNRWA in 1974. and Libya gave $600,000. Much smaller sums were contributed by the other Arab oil states in the Persian Gulf area. Israel’s contribution to UNRWA in 1974 amounted to $625,000.
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