NEW YORK- The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is urging the Bush administration to halt U.S. aid to UNRWA — more than $100-million annually — because of that U.N. agency’s aid to Palestinian Arab terrorists against Israel.

Palestinian Arab terrorists were this week videotaped loading what appears to be a rocket into a UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) vehicle in Gaza. It was the latest in a long series of instances in which UNRWA was found to be collaborating with the terrorists against Israel.

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said: “UNRWA’s long record of collaborating with the terrorists against Israel is a gross violation of its declared purpose, to provide humanitarian aid to refugees and undermines America’s war against terror. The time has come for the U.S. to suspend its financial assistance to UNRWA. Let the wealthy Arab oil sheikhdoms shoulder the burden of caring for their Arab brethren in those territories.”

* Hamas Members on the UNRWA Payroll: UNRWA chief Peter Hansen told Canada’s CBC Television, “I am sure that there are Hamas members on the UNRWA payroll and I don’t see that as a crime. Hamas as a political organization does not mean that every member is a militant and we do not do political vetting and exclude people from one persuasion as against another.” In fact, the United States, Canada, and the European Union have declared Hamas to be a terrorist organization. (Jerusalem Post, Oct.4, 2004)

* UNRWA Employee Transported Terrorists and Weapons: An Israeli Army report last year revealed that UNRWA employee Nahed Rashid Ahmed Atallah, who had served as director of food supplies for refugees in the Gaza Strip, used his UNRWA vehicle and travel documents to transport terrorists and weapons. He also used the travel documents to travel to Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon to receive funds and weapons from members of the terrorist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in those countries. (Jerusalem Post, Oct.4, 2004)

* Leading Members of Congress: UNRWA Supports Terror: U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), ranking member of the House International Relations Committee, has written: “Terrorists based in [UNRWA] refugee camps have engaged in a systematic and deliberate campaign of terror…Camp-based terrorist activity reportedly includes the production of bombs, storage of weaponry and recruitment of personnel.” (Washington Times, June 29, 2002) U.S. Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA), has said that UNRWA has allowed its camps “to become launching pads for terrorist activity … It is disturbing that millions upon millions of American taxpayer dollars are going to fund” UNRWA. (CNS News, June 11, 2002)

* UNRWA Admits It Uses Anti-Semitic Schoolbooks: In 1998, U.S. Congressman Peter Deutsch (D-FL) and other Congressmembers pressured the State Department to ask UNRWA to investigate evidence that Palestinian Authority school books used in UNRWA-run schools contained anti-Semitic statements. In response, UNRWA acknowledged that the books contained statements such as “Treachery and disloyalty are character traits of the Jews and one should be aware of them,” but insisted that this phrase was not offensive because it described actual “historical events.” In January 1999, the State Department confirmed to Congress that “UNRWA’s review did reveal instances of anti-Semitic characterizations and content in these host-authority texts.” UNRWA’s web site boasts that “UNRWA staff participated in the design and development of the Palestinian curriculum.” (Weekly Standard, June 3, 2002)

* AIPAC: 23 Suicide Bombers from UNRWA’s Jenin Camp: A May 2002 report by AIPAC in 2002 found that “UNRWA camps have become the main operating centers for Hamas, Islamic Jihad and PFLP, terrorist groups responsible for the killing of hundreds of Israelis and the injuring of thousands. Twenty-three suicide bombers, responsible for killing 57 Israelis and injuring 1,000, came from the UNRWA camp in Jenin alone.

* World Jewish Congress: UNRWA “Refugee Camps” Are Terror Bases: A June 2003 report by the World Jewish Congress found that UNRWA-run “refugee camps” in the territories have become “bases for the recruitment, training and dispatching of suicide bombers and other killers.” The WJC also found that “anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incitement is prevalent in UNRWA camps.”

* Israeli Intelligence Report: UNRWA camps used for terror. A report by the Shin Bet (Israel’s CIA) in 2002 found:

… “The facilities of UNRWA have been used both to hide terrorists and aid terror activity.”

… “A number of Palestinians who have been arrested say that they have used UNRWA vehicles to plan and carry out attacks.”

… “Numerous UNRWA schools were used to hide suspected terrorists.”

… “An UNRWA ambulance driver arrested in July [2002] admitted that his ambulance was used to transport ammunition between terror cells. Other detainees admitted that UNRWA vehicles were used by terrorists on their way to attacks.” (Jerusalem Post, Dec. 11, 2002)