U.S. Official: Cutting U.N. Funds Harms Israel, U.S. Interests
Thursday, June 16, 2011
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- A top U.S. official outlined U.S.-Israel cooperation at the United Nations and argued that cutting funding to the body would be detrimental to the interests of both countries.
"One constant we hear from Israeli counterparts is how much they appreciate the administration’s efforts and U.S.-Israeli cooperation at the UN and multilaterally," Esther Brimmer, the assistant secretary of state for international organizations, said in an address Wednesday to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a pro-Israel think tank. "In order to sustain these efforts, the United States must maintain the strongest position it can at the U.N., and that means paying our bills on time and in full. We are more credible politically when we fulfill our treaty obligations and contribute to work that advances our interests."
A number of Republican lawmakers in Congress are circulating bills that would cut U.N. funding should the body recognize "Palestine" as a nation.
Email article
PrintSignup for our weekly email newsletter here. Check out the Jewish Week's Facebook page and become a fan! Follow the Jewish Week on Twitter: start here. |
Comments
The Jewish Week welcomes comments on our stories and encourages discussions germane to our articles. But we will not become a platform for screaming matches or personal attacks against individuals, organizations or religious or political perspectives.
Commenting guidelines:
The U.S. taxpayer remains the single largest funding source for the perpetuation of so-called Arab refugees (at least those who are still with us), their children, their grand-children, and even great-grand-children through UNWRA. Arab host governments have refused to integrate these fellow Arabs into their countries, and deny citizenship and educational rights to these people -- all to promote hatred of Israel and the Jews. There is no legitimate U.S. interest in aiding in the perpetuation of these camps and their burgeoning populations.
There was no international program to aid the Jews expelled from Iraq, Egypt, Libya, and other Arab lands.
There are no other "refugee" programs that date back to the late 1940's! Massive population transfers took place in the Indian subcontinent and in Europe. Their refugees' stories are now part of world history.
Post new comment