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United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)


Self Description

November 2007: "Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, was established by United Nations General Assembly resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestine refugees. The Agency began operations on 1 May 1950. In the absence of a solution to the Palestine refugee problem, the General Assembly has repeatedly renewed UNRWA's mandate, most recently extending it until 30 June 2008.

Since its establishment, the Agency has delivered its services in times of relative calm in the Middle East, and in times of hostilities. It has fed, housed and clothed tens of thousands of fleeing refugees and at the same time educated and given health care to hundreds of thousands of young refugees.

UNRWA is unique in terms of its long-standing commitment to one group of refugees and its contributions to the welfare and human development of four generations of Palestine refugees. Originally envisaged as a temporary organization, the Agency has gradually adjusted its programmes to meet the changing needs of the refugees. Today, UNRWA is the main provider of basic services - education, health, relief and social services - to over 4.4 million registered Palestine refugees in the Middle East."

http://www.un.org/unrwa/overview/index.html

Third-Party Descriptions

January 2009: 'The UN Relief and Works Agency, the largest humanitarian organisation working in Gaza, said there was a "huge and overwhelming need" for aid.'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7850407.stm

Relationships

RoleNameTypeLast Updated
Owned by (partial or full, past or present) United Nations, The (UN) Organization Nov 12, 2007

Articles and Resources

Date Fairness.com Resource Read it at:
Jan 26, 2009 MPs call on BBC to air Gaza film: A Commons motion criticising the BBC and Sky for refusing to broadcast a plea for humanitarian aid funding for Gaza has been backed by 112 MPs.

QUOTE: The BBC's explanation that airing the film would threaten its impartiality was described by Labour MP Richard Burden's motion as "unconvincing"....John Ryley, head of Sky News, said that broadcasting the film would be "incompatible" with its objective role.

 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Nov 10, 2007 Gaza’s Isolation Takes Toll on Students and Prices

QUOTE: Israel has declared Gaza a “hostile entity” and is moving to reduce its supplies of energy to the territory, while maintaining imports of essentials for life, hoping to put economic pressure on Hamas to stop constant rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel. Gaza is thus isolated diplomatically and economically.

 New York Times