Today, July 15, 2022, President Joe Biden will appear at the Augusta Victoria Hospital, overlooking the majestic Mount of Olives, which serves patients from nineteen UNRWA "refugee" camps in Judea, Samaria, Gaza and Jerusalem.
President Biden could have chosen to appear at any of the six Arab hospitals in Jerusalem. However, the President chose the venue of an UNRWA medical facility, where he is expected to declare renewed support for UNRWA in the amount of a reported $400 million dollars per year. This would restore the USA to the position of UNRWA’s leading funder, which former President Donald Trump terminated.
Before President Biden speaks at the UNRWA facility, we wish to recall the concrete American obligations stipulated in the US-UNRWA accord, signed exactly one year ago, on July 14 2021, under the Biden Administration. They are as follows:
“Prior to the obligation of funds for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the Secretary of State shall report to the Committees on Appropriations, in writing, on whether UNRWA is—
(1) Utilizing Operations Support Officers in the West Bank, Gaza, and other fields of operation to inspect UNRWA installations and reporting any inappropriate use;
(2) Acting promptly to address any staff or beneficiary violation of its own policies (including the policies on neutrality and impartiality of employees) and the legal requirements under section 301(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961;
(3) Implementing procedures to maintain the neutrality of its facilities, including implementing a no-weapons policy, and conducting regular inspections of its installations, to ensure they are only used for humanitarian or other appropriate purposes;
(4) Taking necessary and appropriate measures to ensure it is operating in compliance with the conditions of section 301(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and continuing regular reporting to the Department of State on actions it has taken to ensure conformance with such conditions;
(5)Taking steps to ensure the content of all educational materials currently taught in UNRWA-administered schools and summer camps is consistent with the values of human rights, dignity, and tolerance and does not induce incitement;”
Will Biden insist that UNRWA removes content from its texts which incite war against the Jews? Below are some examples of texts from the past school year, 2021-2022:
Example One:
Example Two:
Example Three:
Example Four:
Example Five:
Example Six:
Example Seven:
From footage (timeline 04:45) taken at UNRWA Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, from the film The UNRWA War for Return: From Bethlehem to Jerusalem.
From footage (timeline 03:08) taken at UNRWA refugee camp in Gaza, 2018, The terror ofreturn.
Example Eight:
WILL PRESIDENT BIDEN INSISIT THAT UNWRA REMOVE THESE INCENDIARY TEXTS FROM ITS CURRICULUM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE US-UNRWA ACCORDS OF JUST ONE YEAR AGO, AGREED UPON DURING HIS ADMINISTRATION?
If President Biden wants to promote peace, that demand would be a real step toward bringing it closer.
David Bedein is director of Israel Resource News Agency and heads the Center for Near East Policy Research, author of Genesis of the Palestinian Authority and Roadblock to Peace: How the UN Perpetuates the Arab-Israeli Conflict: UNRWA Policies Reconsidered...