UN to Get Real Look at Arab Refugee Problem
By SAUL CARSON
JTA Correspondent at the
United Nations
Copyright, 1964, JTA Inc.
UNITED NATIONS, N. Y.—At
last, there is the likelihood here
that something fundamental may
be done about the ever-present,
always dangerous, always irritating
problem of the Arab refugees.
If Laurence Michelmore, the
American who heads the UN
agency caring for the refugees, has
his way, the United Nations may
find out exactly how many of the
•"refugees" are still entitled to
relief; how many of the holders
of ration cards entitling them to
aid from the United Nations Relief
and Work Agency should continue
to get such help in full measure,
or even partially; how many "dead
souls" can be lopped off the relief
rolls, since the refugee families
never — or almost never — report
deaths; what the economic status
of the refugees is—how many are
earning sufficiently to maintain
themselves; and other relevant
data.
Michelmore has asked these
questions in the annual report he
has submitted to this year's Gen-
eral Assembly. As Commissioner-
General of UNRWA, he has to
tread lightly. Over him, albeit in
a purely • consultative position.
there is an official UNRWA ad-
visory commission. Under the UN
ground rules. he must show his
annual report to that commission.
Since the commission includes,
among its nine members, rep-
resentatives of all four Arab
countries which are "hosts" to
the refugees. it means that the
hostile, dogmatically anti-Israeli
Arabs get a first look at ' Michel-
more's report. The "host" coun-
tries—Egypt. Jordan, Syria and
Lebanon—saw Michelmore's first
draft of the report in August.
The Arab press revealed enough
details about Michelmore's prelim-
inary draft to show why the "hosts"
were displeased. Last August, after
Michelmore had shown his first
draft to the advisory commission,
newspapers in Jordan and else-
where in the Arab countries raised
a howl about UNRWA's reported
plans to withdraw ration cards
from something like 50,000 or 100.-
000 of the "dead souls." Whether.
indeed. Michelmore had set such
a figure is not known here. The
fact is that no such figure appears
in the final report.
The UNRWA chief is not obli-
gated to follow the Arab's line.
But the Advisory 'Commission's
feelings can not be disregarded
altogether. In addition to the four
Arab "host" countries in the group.
the Commission includes repre-
sentatives from the United States..
Britain, France, Belgium a n d
Turkey.
The U.S.A. is by far the largest
contributor to UNRWA---having
given, officially, a total of $340,-
668,069 of the $482,589,648 spent
by UNRWA since it came into
being in 1950. Britain is the
next largest contributor. France
and Turkey are both members
of the Palestine Conciliation
Commission, along with the
U.S.A.
A Turk, Shahap Gurler, is chair-
man of the advisory commission.
Thus, the Arabs are far from hav-
ing the final word in the advisory
commission. And the U.S.A. as the
biggest donor, is certainly entitled
to know how the vast sums it has
contributed are being spent. It is
no secret at all that our Congress
has been itching for years under
the burden of those big U.S. con-
tributions to UNRWA, and Con-
gress may become downright insis-
tent, any year now, on finding
out what is hidden among the
UNRWA statistics—what the Arabs
want kept hidden, and why.
The compromise between Michel-
more and the Arab "hosts" is evi-
dent in the final report. Michel-
more spoke time and again of the
need to rectify the ration rolls. He
spoke not only of the dead, but
also of those who have falsified.
data to enable them•to get UNRWA
aid, and of those—perhaps as high
as 50 per cent—who may be en-
titled to some partial relief, but
not to total aid from UNRWA.
He made it clear—in diplo-
matic language—that the "host"
countries have not been helpful
to UNRWA in its efforts to get
the information it needs — not
only as to how many are dead
and how many are false claim-
ants, but also as to how much
the refugees are earning in
addition to what they get from
UNRWA. He indicated that the
'host" states have projected this
phony argument: Would the
economy of their countries suffer
if a sizable number of refugees
had their ration cards withdrawn
by UNRWA or had their relief
cut down?
The nub of his evident com-
promise was this: lie told the
Assembly that, with the - help" of
the host countries, he is now study-
ing all these matters and that, this
year. he will submit a special re-
port on this issue. There is no
doubt whatever that the Arabs
don't want him to get reliable fig-
ure•. and will fight whatever
special report he submits. But he
has committed himself to such a,
report—and it will certainly be of
great interest—not only to the UN
as a whole. but, specifically, to the
American Congress which will be
asked to vote more appropriations
to maintain the refugees. real or
dead or - imaginary, earners and
genuine destitute alike.
Michelmore asked the Assembly
to continue UNRWA's mandate for
another five years beyond the ex-
piration of the current tenure, end-
ing next June 30. Usually, the As-
sembly extends the UNRWA man-
date, each time it expires, by either
three years or two years. Michel-
more wants five years.
The Assembly could, of course,
decide to kill UNRWA or to alter
the form of aid the international
community has been giving to the
Arab refugees. It is doubtful that
UNRWA will be liquidated, or in-
deed, that the United Nations
would take any step to deny aid to
thhe refugees, under whatever sys-
tem that might be proposed.
Michelmore may not get an ex-
tended five-year tenure, but he will
probably get an extension for
LTNRWA. This time the Assembly
may want to take a good, hard look
at that special report before it acts.
So, undoubtedly, will our Congress.
Anti-Jewish Slogans
on Buildings in Britain
LONDON, (JTA)—Swastikas and
anti-Jewish and anti-Negro slogans
were found daubed on the walls
of several buildings including a
Catholic school in the town of
Warwick. Police are questioning
four men in connection with the
incident.
So, also, will the American tax-
payer, out of whose pockets more
than $340,000,000 has already gone
officialy to the Arab refugees—
while the figure is probably as
high as a half-billion of our dollars.
Like
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"Barkin Is Colossal !" (Headline)
Refusal to Legalize
Arab Extremist Group
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel's
Supreme Court rejected an appeal
by El Ai. d, a nationalistic Arab
group, which a Haifa district offi-
cer had refused permission to
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zation.
Upholding the Haifa ruling, the
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The court noted the fact that El
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press published outside Israel,
Calling the Arab countries "the
high
spearhead of a free Palestine."
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Friday, November 20, 1964-9
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