Palestine

Background

In November 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted a plan for partition of Palestine which provided for the creation of an Arab and a Jewish state. In response to this, Israel declared its independence in May 1948 (The Soviet Union recognized it following the United States). The first Arab-Israeli War erupted, generating 750,000 Palestinian refugees who escaped to neighboring countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and other Arab countries. In December 1949, The United Nations Works and Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ( UNRWA ) was established by the UN General Assembly resolution 302 to deliver humanitarian assistance to rescue Palestinian refugees from hunger and strained circumstances. UNRWA began operations in May 1950. Since then, up to the present date, Palestinian refugees have been unable to return to their homeland or resettle into the neighboring Arab countries.

As the situation deteriorated, Israel launched massive land and air attacks in the Gaza Strip, starting on December 27, 2008. These attacks caused great damage in the Gaza Strip, including over 1,300 Palestinian deaths and approximately 5,300 casualties by January 18, 2009. The attacks also caused acute shortages of daily necessities for the Palestinian people living there, leading to a critical humanitarian situation.

Results

Jan. 2009 Contribution in kind to UNRWA for the Relief of Palestinian Afflicted People