U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley's speech drew derision from many in the Arab world as she lectured them that rich Arab countries are not doing enough to help their Palestinian "brothers." Haley said: "The United States provided $364 million to UNRWA and $300 million in bilateral aid last year." In a self-praising tone, she added that the American people are "generous and humane," and that the Trump administration has been looking for ways to help the Palestinian people, whose suffering, she said, "is of real concern to us." But she warned Palestinians that "Americans are not stupid," and Palestinians should not bite the generous hand that feeds them. She implored others to do the same.

The "others" here are America's allies in the region, chief among them kings and princes in the Gulf and leaders like Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt. The Saudi ambassador responded by pointing out that Riyadh has spent more than $6 billion in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in the past decade alone.

But why was Haley so aggressive?
This was just a media cover to pass the decision to cut US support for UNRWA - the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees - citing Trump's well-known mantra of "America's generosity" and its allies' dereliction of responsibility.

U.S. President Donald Trump sees himself as an "extraordinary leader" and dealmaker who claims to be permanently "solving" the Palestinian issue. For nearly two years, we have heard about the "deal of the century," but the details have yet to be officially announced. However, it is clear that Washington has adopted the position of the Israeli far-right and is not seeking a real deal, but rather is working to gradually change the reality in Israel's favor and impose a fait accompli on the Palestinians and anyone who opposes it.

From the US perspective, the main obstacle to the deal - which seeks to liquidate the Palestinian cause - is the refugee issue.
To overcome this obstacle, the Trump team seems to be adopting an Israeli plan, without explicitly stating it:

• Redefining who a Palestinian refugee is, ignoring international law.

• Restricting refugees to only those who left Palestine in 1948, without recognizing their children and grandchildren.

• The number has been reduced from more than 5 million refugees to only about 40,000 elderly people.

Washington blames UNRWA for turning a temporary issue into a permanent crisis, and sees the agency itself as part of the issue.
To justify cutting vital support, the Trump administration has demonized UNRWA, accusing it of mismanaging resources.

But the reality is that UNRWA provides vital services to millions of Palestinians in camps in the occupied territories and neighboring countries.
For example:

• The Agency operates hundreds of schools in its five areas of operation, providing free basic education to nearly half a million Palestine refugee children, almost half of whom are girls.

• Operates 143 primary health centers, which record about nine million medical visits per year.

• Provides financial assistance to 1.2 million refugees living below the extreme poverty line.

• It operates 48 women's program centers, 33 community rehabilitation centers, and 43 community finance programs.

About a third of Palestinian refugees live in 58 recognized camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

In addition, UNRWA maintains and modernizes Palestinian refugee documents. More than 17 million documents have been scanned, including birth certificates, property deeds and registration documents, some dating back to before the 1948 Nakba.

If UNRWA closes, as Washington and Tel Aviv want, the enormous burden of providing these services will fall on host countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
America is seeking to convince wealthy Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to bear the cost. Some sources suggest that the cost could reach billions or even trillions of dollars to integrate the refugees as citizens and create the necessary infrastructure for them. This Arab rejection of the idea explains Nikki Haley's anger.

As for Palestinians living inside historic Palestine - the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the territories occupied in 1948 - the policy will be gradual forced displacement under the guise of "voluntary" by imposing unbearable living conditions that force them to emigrate in search of a better life.

The West Bank and Jerusalem are expected to be formally annexed to Israel, with illegal settlements continuing to be built on land earmarked for a Palestinian state.
Palestinians in those areas will likely be pushed toward Jordan.
As for Gaza, it will be offered "life improvements" conditional on Israel's security, such as:

• Establishing an airport, seaport, free zone and industrial zones inside Egypt for use by Gaza's besieged population.

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said that Trump supports the idea of "Israeli security control" over the territory earmarked for a "state of Palestine."

  Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have repeatedly stated that they will not allow any non-Israeli sovereignty on the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, whether it is called a Palestinian state or not, "all of it is Israel."

Thus, it seems that the American "deal of the century" is not a deal, but a complete surrender on the Palestinian side.

The liquidation of the Palestinian refugee issue represents the first stage of canceling their legitimate right to return to their homes, while declaring the death of the Palestinian state before it is even born.

Source: Middle East Monitor