Gaza Nears Collapse

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Trump regime collusion with Israel exacerbated crisis conditions in the Strip.

After cutting half its aid for Palestinian refugees in January, the Trump regime froze all aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) in June unless it meets the following unacceptable conditions:

terminating financial aid to families of Palestinians (unjustly) called terrorists by Israel;

revoking laws authorizing the aid;

taking "credible steps" to end (justifiable Palestinian resistance against a ruthless occupier falsely called) terrorism; and

investigating legitimate Palestinian resistance, falsely called violence, terrorism or incitement, and publicly condemning it.

Not a word by Trump regime officials or congressional Ziofascist leadership about Israeli state terror, its preemptive wars of aggression, occupation harshness, unlawful settlement construction, land theft and displacement, torture as official policy, and longstanding persecution of Palestinians, victims of rogue state viciousness.

On Wednesday, UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) emergency program representative Adel Halab said the agency fired or transferred to temporary status ahead of terminating them around 1,000 staff in Gaza and the West Bank.

He warned of chaos and serious repercussions, adding "things will roll over towards adverse consequences due to raging over the unfair decision."

Thousands of additional terminations may follow for lack of agency funding to pay them following the Trump regime's funding cuts - in cahoots with Netanyahu wanting UNRWA to "disappear."

It's part of Israel's longstanding plan to Judaize historic Palestine, wanting a Palestinian presence in their historic homeland minimized or eliminated.

Netanyahu claims ending UNWRA aid will eliminate what he calls a right of return threat to Israel. He disgracefully said "UNRWA is an organization that perpetuates the problem of the Palestinian refugees." 

"It also perpetuates the narrative of the so-called 'right of return' with the aim of eliminating the state of Israel, and therefore UNRWA must disappear."

The inviolable right of return is codified in international law. Netanyahu and Trump can breach what they can't rescind or change.

On Thursday, UN Middle East special coordinator Nikolay Mladenov warned about Gaza's state of near collapse.

Addressing UNRWA's financial crisis, he said the agency needs another $217 million to continue its work for Palestinian refugees through yearend. 

Its 13,000 employees in Gaza alone face termination if funds aren't provided to pay them. UNRWA aids millions of Palestinian refugees in the Territories and neighboring countries - its efforts jeopardized by Trump and Netanyahu regime viciousness.

In Gaza, 80% of the population depends on humanitarian aid to survive. According to UNRWA Employees Union in Gaza head Amir al-Mishal, terminating or downgrading the status of 1,000 agency staff only saves around $4 million, a tiny percent of its budget shortfall, adding:

"How come an agency that was founded to support Palestinian refugees' rights and provide assistance to them is now arbitrarily terminating their contracts and turning a blind eye to their suffering?"

"There is no doubt that the US funding cut has disastrous consequences on all aspects of refugees' lives, but we have suggested many ways to contain the crisis and avoid what happened today. UNRWA is just not dealing with our demands."

Trump and Netanyahu collusion aims to dismantle and undermine UNRWA, pretending millions of Palestinian refugees don't exist - how both rogue regimes deplorably operate on this and many other issues.

VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html