During the course of the Palestine hostilities in 1948. approximately one million citizens of the Palestine mandate fled from their homes and took refuge outside of the boundaries of the present State of Israel. Most of these were Arabs. the total including both Christian and Moslem elements of the population. For the past two and onehalf years. these refugees have been supported by the United Nations. first. through the United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees. and beginning May 1. 1950. by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. As of April 15. 1951. a total of $78.977.777 has been contributed to the funds of these agencies. $40.450.000 of this total by the United States. Major contributions to the Agency since that date have beer. $3.000.000 from the United States. $700.000 from Canada. and $850.000 from France. The operations of the Agency have centered on relief which has cost approximately $2 per refugee per month. At the present time. projects for resettlement of a substantial number of the refugees in neighboring Arab countries appear reasonably bright. At the moment. there is no other resource available to the refugees except United Nations aid. The refugees represent the single greatest obstacle to peace between Israel on the one hand the Arab States on the other. Their numbers are large in proportion to the settled population of their states which have given them asylum. Unless relief needs are met. the refugees might well be the cause of grave disturbance. if not war. in the Near East. Tensions in the area are high. Its importance has been stressed in the testimoriy of the Department of Defense and the Department of State in current hearings on the mutual security program.
Keywords matched
Refugees refugee refugees