UNRWA spends the bulk of its funds on education and health care, and unfortunately more and more on humanitarian aid, especially in Gaza where a large portion of the population consists of Palestinians made refugees during 1947-1949. The cut belies Cannon's Ministry website, that "a just solution to the Palestinian refugee issue is central to a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as called for in United Nations General Assembly resolution 194 (1948) and United Nations Security Council resolution 242. "This solution should respect the rights of the refugees, in accordance with international law."
Well, the law states that education, housing, and health care are some of the rights that refugees should enjoy and UNRWA dispenses them.
Members of the Conservative government often volunteer that Israel's security is important to them. Toews calls it "paramount."
While Canadians may agree that Israel's security is important, they may not agree that it should supersede their own country's security and interests. They may agree or disagree with the use of nuclear power, but they would certainly balk at a Canadian Minister's need to seek assurances from "an expert... at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem" that CANDU is "not conducive to the development of weapons grade uranium."
Whether Canada sells to Jordan or not, revealing to a third party on-going trade discussions is highly inappropriate and undermines Canada's own interests. Surely, Toews could have enquired in Canada, using Canadian experts, before starting discussions with Jordan.
Toews also stated that "in the past, Canada aid earmarked for UNRWA went into a general operating fund in the PA Treasury and although Jarbawi had asked that this situation continue, the practice made it difficult for Canada to monitor how the funds were being used." Had he consulted his colleague at CIDA, or the Director of UNRWA Operations (Jerusalem), Barbara Shenstone, who happens to be Canadian, he would have known that UNRWA's funds do not go the PA Treasury but are paid directly to UNRWA.
The notion that it is "difficult" for Canada to monitor how funds to UNRWA's general operating budget are used is misleading. UNRWA keeps and publishes detailed accounts of expenditure and records of related income, which are audited on behalf of Canada and all other UN Member states by independent international auditors appointed by the General Assembly.
In the case of the projects, Canada not only receives detailed dollar-by-dollar and narrative reports but is often involved in the planning at every stage of development, and appoints technical advisers to assist. As to staff, UNRWA has been periodically running names through Israel's intelligence services.
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