The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) President Morton A. Klein and ZOA Director of Government Relations Dan Pollak released the following statement:
The Zionist Organization of America strongly endorses the letter released today by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and signed by 15 GOP congressmen to Secretary of State Antony Blinken opposing the Biden administration’s plan to add an additional $99 million to the already sizable contribution the United States makes to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The Trump administration had cut off funding to the agency because of links to terrorism, sexual scandals, and an unwillingness to reform. The letter also points out that UNRWA promotes the notorious 'Palestinian Right of Return,' which is a conscious tactic by Israel's enemies to end Israel's sovereignty completely.
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said:
"Any U.S. taxpayers’ money given to the PA in the face of Palestinian Arab anti-peace, pro-terror behavior is a grave and horrific mistake. We salute Rep. Gohmert and the other congressmen who are pointing out that UNRWA is beyond the possibility of reform, and the only way to force changes in this corrupt system is to withhold American money from this terrorist-supporting organization."
UNRWA was founded in 1949 to provide relief to refugees resulting from the Arab war against the reestablishment of the Jewish State of Israel in 1948, which resulted in the deaths of 1% of the population of the fledgling state. It has morphed into a huge operation, now providing subsidies to the descendants of Arab refugees only. All other refugees in the world are provided for in an efficient way by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Unlike the UNHCR, UNRWA provides services to generations of offspring, regardless of the permanence of their condition, and with no aim towards resettlement.
The ZOA has been criticizing U.S. moves to fund UNRWA for some time.
