Nir Barkat
JERUSALEM (AP) — Jerusalem’s outgoing mayor is calling on the international community to consider his proposal to end the local operations of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, saying there is “no such thing” as a refugee in the city.
In an interview, Barkat, who is leaving office after elections later this month, said Sunday he was inspired to make his proposal after the U.S. cut off $300 million in funding to the agency last month.
The proposal by Nir Barkat marks the latest assault by Israel and the United States against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. U.S. budget cuts have sent the agency into a financial crisis and drawn Palestinian accusations that Israel and the U.S. are trying to erase the refugee issue from the international agenda.
