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Nakba – die Katastrophe der Vertreibung
60jähriges Bestehen der Hilfsorganisation für palästinensische Flüchtlinge UNRWA. Netanjahu in Washington
Von Karin Leukefeld *
Am 14. Mai 1948 endete das britische Mandat über Palästina. Noch am gleichen Tag rief David Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv den Staat Israel aus, der wenige Stunden später von den USA und der Sowjetunion anerkannt wurde. Kurz darauf marschierten ägyptische, jordanische, syrische, irakische und libanesische Truppen nach Palästina, um eine Rücknahme der Erklärung Ben Gurions militärisch zu erzwingen. Doch Israel war vorbereitet.
Zionistische Milizen der Haganah hatten schon seit Wochen Palästinenser aus ihrer Heimat vertrieben, in der Ortschaft Deir Jassin massakrierten die Milizen mehr als 250 Männer, Frauen und Kinder. Mitte Mai waren schon mehr als 200 arabisch-palästinensische Ortschaften besetzt, und das israelische Militär war gut aufgestellt. Die Staatsgründung wurde am 15. Mai 1948 bekräftigt und gut ausgestattet mit Waffen und finanzieller Hilfe aus den USA und Europa nahm Israel den Kampf gegen die arabischen Nachbarn auf, die in nur wenigen Tagen zurückgeworfen wurden. Mehr als 700000 Palästinenser wurden in die Flucht gezwungen, Israel gründete seinen Staat auf den Gräbern und der verwüsteten Erde Palästinas. Wer bleiben konnte, wurde in den folgenden 60 Jahren in Lager und Enklaven gezwungen, in denen ein Leben kaum möglich ist.
Die Vertreibung ging in die palästinensische Geschichte als Nakba ein, die Katastrophe, der die 4,6 Millionen nachgeborenen Flüchtlinge alljährlich gedenken. Die damals entstandene UN-Hilfsorganisation für palästinensische Flüchtlinge UNRWA, erinnerte dieser Tage an ihr 60jähriges Bestehen. Ein fragwürdiger Jahrestag, der sowohl die arabischen Staaten als auch die westliche Welt beschämen müßte. Doch der jordanische König Abdullah überreichte statt dessen der UNRWA-Vorsitzenden Karen AbuZayd die »Istiklal Medaille erster Ordnung« für die geleistete Hilfe, über Ramallah stiegen als Zeichen der Hoffnung 60 blaue Luftballons auf, Hunderte Palästinenser trugen überdimensionale Holzschlüssel als Symbol für die Schlüssel ihrer Häuser, aus denen sie 1948 vertrieben worden waren und der palästinensische Präsident Mahmud Abbas hielt eine Rede im Fernsehen. Der Papst gab 50000 Euro für eine Jungenschule, und das saudische Königshaus spendierte 25 Millionen US-Dollar (in Euro) für den Wiederaufbau des 2007 zerstörten palästinensischen Flüchtlingslagers Naher Al-Bared in Nordlibanon.
Der neue israelische Außenminister Avigdor Lieberman und seine Partei »Unser Haus Israel« gaben zum 61. Jahrestag der Vertreibung der Palästinenser eine andere Parole aus. Die Ultrarechten, von denen sich die meisten lange nach 1948 in Israel ansiedelten, kündigten einen Gesetzentwurf an, der es den in Israel lebenden Arabern verbieten soll, an den Jahrestag der Nakba zu erinnern. Wer es dennoch tut, soll für drei Jahre ins Gefängnis, erklärte Parteisprecher Tal Nahum (nach einem Bericht der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters). Ziel sei, »die Einheit im Staat Israel (zu) stärken«. Am israelischen Unabhängigkeitstag dürfe nicht länger getrauert werden.
Israels Ministerpräsident Benjamin Netanjahu, dem die Zustimmung zu einer Zwei-Staaten-Lösung mit Palästina auch zwei Monate nach seinem Amtsantritt nicht über die Lippen gegangen ist, ist derweil in Washington eingetroffen.
* Aus: junge Welt, 19. Mai 2009
Texte von UNRWA zum 60sten
King decorates UNRWA
His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday presents the Istiqlal Medal of the First Order to UNRWA Commissioner General Karen AbuZayd in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Rania (Photo by Yousef Allan)DEAD SEA (JT) - His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday bestowed the Istiqlal Medal of the First Order on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in recognition of the agency's 60 years of service to Palestinian refugees.
UNRWA Commissioner General Karen AbuZayd received the award on the agency's behalf, following a meeting with King Abdullah and Her Majesty Queen Rania.
During the meeting, King Abdullah stressed the need to provide all possible support to UNRWA in executing its humanitarian work for Palestinian refugees. He especially commended UNRWA's assistance to the Palestinians during the recent Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip.
King Abdullah said Jordan would continue its support for UNRWA, and noted that the Jordan Armed Forces field hospital in Gaza, which provides medical services to the Palestinian people, will continue to complement the work that UNRWA is doing in Gaza.
During the meeting, the King also emphasised the refugees' rights to return and compensation.
"I am deeply honoured to have been invited to meet Their Majesties, particularly as this was my first meeting with the King," AbuZayd said following the meeting.
"I remain extremely grateful for their continuing personal involvement with Palestine refugees and with our work at UNRWA," she added.
"In this, our 60th anniversary year, it is important to pay tribute to our friends in this region and those such as our partners in Jordan who have given to us and the refugees so generously over six decades. But it is also important to take stock and remind the world that 60 years of exile and statelessness is unacceptable, and that a political resolution for the refugees must be found."
17 May 2009
UNRWA’s Blue Balloon takes flight
On Friday 15th May UNRWA marked its 60th anniversary with a launch event for "UNRWA at 60", a series of worldwide events planned to commemorate UNRWA’s 60 years of service to Palestine refugees.The launch event was hosted by Commissioner-General Karen Koning AbuZayd at the Ramallah Women’s Training Centre and attended by senior Palestinian government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, senior representatives of the Palestine refugee community, and members of local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Amongst the distinguished guests were Dr Rafiq Husseini, who gave an address on behalf of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Peter Hansen, UNRWA’s former Commissioner-General.
The evening included speeches, musical and dance performances and film screenings that reflected on six decades of exile for Palestine refugees, during which UNRWA has worked alongside the refugees in times of relative calm in the Middle East, as well as strife.
The evening culminated with the release of 60 helium-filled blue balloons. The symbolic release of the balloons was made as a gesture of hope for the future. The balloon is a symbol of hope rising over obstacles and uniting those who have been separated and scattered. The balloon is a childhood object, representing the innocence of children who are the chief recipients of UNRWA services.
Each balloon that was released had a tag with a wish written by a Palestine refugee child attached to it. Each tag had a unique tracking number and an invitation for anyone who finds it to email UNRWA and report where the tag was found. The balloons were released in the hope that the children’s wishes will reach far and wide, that they will be heard, amplified and ultimately realised.
Pope’s visit to Aida refugee camp sows "hope for the future"
PRESS RELEASE - East Jerusalem, 14 May 2009Yesterday UNRWA was honoured to welcome Pope Benedict XVI to Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem where thousands had gathered to hear the Holy See deliver a message of hope and solidarity to the Palestine refugees.
The Papal visit coincided with two significant anniversaries. On May 15th Palestinians will mark 61 years of exile and continuing dispossession with Al Nakba day. In yesterday’s address Pope Benedict noted that, the Palestine refugees’ "legitimate aspirations for permanent homes, for an independent Palestinian State, remain unfulfilled."
May 15th is also the day that UNRWA will launch "UNRWA at 60" a series of events that will commemorate the Agency's 60th anniversary. In his speech Pope Benedict called for all stakeholders to work for peace and non-violence and urged Palestinians, Israelis and the international community to strive for a just and lasting solution to the conflict. UNRWA's six decades of work with Palestine refugees makes it a vital agent of peace and stability in the Middle East. Through programmes that attend to fundamental human development needs, the Agency has contributed to the stability of Palestine refugee communities and the communities that host them.
By far the largest of UNRWA's programmes is Education. UNRWA provides over half a million Palestine refugee children and youth with free education. Moreover, in all UNRWA schools a special human rights, tolerance and conflict resolution programme is taught in addition to the local curriculum. This programme was developed by UNRWA to ensure that refugee children know the rights to which they, and all individuals, are entitled. The programme also includes practical activities, such as drama workshops and the establishment of student parliaments, which mean students are able to put into practice what they have learnt about conflict resolution and democracy.
On the occasion of the Pope's visit to Aida camp, his pledge of EUR 50,000 to UNRWA was announced. This generous contribution will benefit Palestine refugees in Aida camp, and pays for three new classrooms at Aida Boys School. UNRWA welcomes this support for its educational programme. In his speech Pope Benedict noted that a commitment to education is an expression of "hope in the future". UNRWA shares this sentiment and, through the Agency’s educational programme, is committed to providing Palestine refugees with the tools they need for ensuring a better future for themselves and their communities. Furthermore, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Karen Abu-Zayd also expressed the hope that, ‘we trust that your message will resonate with those entrusted with the privilege of political authority and encourage them to work together to achieve a just and lasting peace.’
About UNRWA
Some 4.6 million Palestine refugees in UNRWA’s five fields of operations – Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem – are eligible for Agency services, including education, healthcare, social services, shelter, micro-credit loans and emergency aid. UNRWA employs nearly 30,000 staff, the vast majority of whom are Palestine refugees. UNRWA’s operations are financed almost entirely by voluntary contributions from donors. The Agency’s regular budget for 2008-2009 is $1.1 billion, which covers the recurrent costs of the Agency’s education, health and relief and social services activities. UNRWA’s headquarters are in Gaza City and Amman.
Christopher Gunness, UNRWA Spokesperson
Sami Mshasha, UNRWA Arabic Spokesperson
www.un.org/unrwa
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