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Sen. Kennedy Insists on Removing Arab Soldiers from U.N. Relief Rolls

June 17, 1966
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Estimating that there are “between 10, 000 and 14, 000” Arab refugees enlisted in the Palestine Liberation Army, which is dedicated to war against Israel, and that they were all receiving food and supplies from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, Sen. Edward Kennedy reiterated last night his request that they be stricken from the UNRWA relief rolls. Speaking at a dinner here of the Brandeis University trustees, the senator said:

“It is incompatible with United States policy and with the fundamental concept of the United Nations to supply aid in any way to members of any army whose purpose is to work against a member nation of the United Nations.” Sen. Kennedy, who is chairman of the Senate subcommittee on Refugees, cited also other “substantial abuses in the UNRWA operation” in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.

Ambassador Michael S. Comay, Israel’s permanent representative at the United Nations, met for a half hour yesterday with U.N. Secretary-General U. Thant for a discussion of recent developments in the Middle East. Among the subjects brought up in the conference by Mr. Comay was the issue of the recruitment of Arab refugees for service in the Palestine Liberation Army and UNRWA aid to the recruits.

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