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Remove UNRWA from city, and treat Arabs as residents, says Jerusalem mayor

“We need to put a stop to the refugee lie in Jerusalem,” states Mayor Nir Barkat.

Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat. Feb. 13, 2018. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.
Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat. Feb. 13, 2018. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency is “bolstering terrorism,” Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat told the Knesset Interior Committee on Wednesday during a special meeting to discuss a plan by the Jerusalem Municipality to remove the Palestinian refugee agency from the city and transfer its institutions to Israeli administration.

“I am showing you one of [UNRWA’s] textbooks used in its schools, which glorifies the terrorist Dalal Mughrabi, who murdered 35 civilians in a bloody bus attack in Herzliya. The children of Jerusalem who are under the responsibility of UNRWA are currently studying terrorism, and we have to stop it,” said Barkat.

“It’s time to remove UNRWA from Jerusalem and transfer its failed education, welfare, health and cleaning services to the city. That is also what the Arab residents [of Jerusalem] want themselves.

“We need to put a stop to the refugee lie in Jerusalem. They aren’t refugees, they’re residents, and they should receive the same services from the city as any other resident,” he said.

Barkat also said that U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to cut U.S. aid to UNRWA “created a window of opportunity to implement the plan and put an end to the perversion of history.”

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