Danby questions UNRWA funding in Federal Parliament
Michael Danby, the Federal Member of Parliamernt for Melbourne Ports, delivered a speech in Parliament today questioning the suitability of UNRWA as the recepient of Australian financial refugee aid.While stressing that he “had every sympathy for the long-suffering Palestinian people”, Danby told Parliament that Palestinian leaders had not been called to account for the theft of taxpayers’ money. He cited the case of Yasir Arafat, claiming that the deceased leader had stolen at least $400 million of aid money, this figure revealed when the Palestinian Authority attempted to retrieve the funds.
Danby wholly supported the continuation of aid to the Palestinian people but questioned the United Nations Relief and Works Agency as being the “appropriate recipient.” He stressed the point that this particular organisation is maintained by the anti-Israel UN majority while the UN Commission for Refugees struggles “to meet the most basic needs of refugees.” He told Parliament that the Palestinians, constituting 17% of all the world’s refugees receive 33% of all refugee funding.
Danby concluded by saying that the $16 million given annually by Australia to UNRWA [plus a further $10 million committed after the Gaza conflict] would represent a betrayal of our generosity if it were to be stole or misspent on “rockets, guns, terrorism or incitement to hatred.”
Michael Danby…the unquestioning supporter of Israeli religious supremacists, who fears open discussion of the Israeli political system’s total failure at negotiating a two State solution.
Keep up the good work on behalf of the Palestinians, Michael.