Tuesday, February 18, 2014

UN Buries the Lede Even as the Civil War in Syria Buries Palestinian "Refugees"

The madness of foisting a permanent refugee status on these people becomes even clearer in light of events such as this:
17 February 2014 – Unable for the tenth straight day to deliver life-saving aid to thousands of Palestinian refugees trapped in a camp near Damascus, the United Nations agency charged with ensuring their well-being is again appealing strongly to the parties to allow in desperately needed food, medicines and other humanitarian assistance to the war-weary civilians. “There has been no change in the situation,” said Christopher Gunness, spokesperson for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), lamenting that the agency's food distribution inside Yarmouk camp, south of crisis-torn Syria's capital, remained on hold for the tenth consecutive day. While no UNRWA staff visited the camp today, Mr. Gunness said the agency remains hopeful that unrestricted humanitarian access to the civilian population inside Yarmouk will be granted and that its food distribution will resume without further delay. UNRWA has not had access to the camp since fighting broke out late at night on 7 February, forcing the agency to temporarily suspend its activities. A food parcel lasts an average family about 10 days, so provisions are now running out, Mr. Gunness explained earlier, adding that, “as malnutrition…is reportedly widespread, the fate particularly of women and children is of growing concern.”...
Quick now: what comes to mind when you think "refugee camp"? Tents and/or other makeshift and impermanent structures? Well, that's not what this so-called refugee camp consists of (and here's where the lede-burying comes in, i.e. almost at the bitter end of the piece):
Prior to the armed conflict in Syria, which began in March 2011, Yarmouk – a suburb just south of Damascus – was home to over 160,000 Palestine refugees. Since December 2012, fighting has caused at least 140,000 Palestine refugees to flee their homes in Yarmouk, as armed opposition groups established a presence in the area, with Government forces controlling the periphery.
A suburb--you know, with apartment buildings, stores, schools and the like. And about as permanent as it gets unless blown to bits by Arab proxies of the Khomeinists battling Arab proxies of the Saudis. Of course, you know who will be blamed for the destruction? Why, the Jooos, of course. For if only these "refugees" had been allowed to "return" to their homes in "occupied Palestine" (a.k.a. Israel), keys and all, decades ago, none of this would be happening.

You wanna bet that none of them will be toting the keys to their homes in the Damascus suburb, those keys being imbued with no significance at all.

No comments: