Refugee problem

Caroline Glick’s excellent article on UNWRA in the July 6 issue should have mentioned how a similar refugee problem in 1948 was solved.

Far more Jews had to flee from their homes in Muslim countries in 1948. The Jewish refugees were also at first housed in tents in refugee camps. Then Israel built tin huts and later small simple homes and today normal buildings.

The Jewish refugees from Arab countries worked to build Israel and are today normal citizens. This was achieved without billions from the UN. CHARLES OREN Herzliya

In 1947 the partition of the Indian subcontinent resulted in a huge, two-way migration. About 13 million people were uprooted. There is no UN agency specifically tasked with caring for the descendants of any of these refugees in perpetuity.

By way of contrast, consider that only two years’ residence in a former Ottoman Empire, then British Mandate- controlled area allows this entitlement:

“The descendants of Palestine refugee males, including adopted children, are also eligible for registration. When the Agency began operations in 1950, it was responding to the needs of about 750,000 Palestine refugees. Today, some 5 million Palestine refugees are eligible for UNRWA services.” (https://www.unrwa.org/palestine-refugees)

Why is one group of refugees privileged in this Ponzi scheme-like way? The difference in treatment seems designed to foment resentment in one group and to destroy any chance of a peaceful resolution. It is long past time for this charade to end. JULIA LUTCH