ECAJ, JCCV and Australian Government  Donation to UNRWA

By Larry Stillman
The ECAJ and JCCV recently condemned AJDS for encouraging people to make donations to the UN’s emergency relief appeal for Palestinian refugees in Gaza. They said that “making donations to UNRWA is reckless, given UNRWA’s own admission that Hamas hides weapons in UNRWA schools”.
Of course, there is no logic in this statement, since UNRWA has itself condemned Hamas for such activity [http://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/press-releases/unrwa-condemns-placement-rockets-second-time-one-its-schools].
Notwithstanding the condemnation of AJDS, the ECAJ and JCCV should now offer  a viewpoint on the recent donation of $5 million by the Australian government to UNRWA on July 28 2014.  Julie Bishop said that “Many Palestinian civilians have lost their lives along with a number of Israeli soldiers and civilians. Large numbers of people have been displaced from their homes, buildings and essential services damaged, and livelihoods jeopardised”.
[http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2014/jb_mr_140728.aspx?ministerid=4].
If ECAJ and JCCV are to be consistent, they should also oppose the humanitarian action of the Australian government.