HC Deb 26 November 1956 vol 561 cc6-7W
44. Dr. Stross

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now able to give details of the agreement made by the Director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, with the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Forces, concerning the case of the refugees in the Gaza area.

Mr. Dodds-Parker

Yes. This agreement is recorded in an exchange of letters of 9th November. The Israeli Government confirm that they would like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to continue its assistance to the Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip and to this end will afford all the facilities required by the Agency so that it may carry out its task.

The Israeli Government declare that they are prepared: to ensure the protection and security of the personnel, installations and property of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency; to permit free movement of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency international personnel and vehicles in and out of Israel and the Gaza Strip; to permit the local staff of the Agency to move within the Gaza Strip under arrangements made with the Military Governor; and to recognise that the Convention on the Provisions and Immunities of the United Nations of 13th February, 1946, shall generally apply to relations between the Israeli Government and the Agency.

45. Dr. Stross

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give an approximate figure of the total cost for the support and maintenance by the United Nations of the refugees in the Gaza area since 1948.

Mr. Dodds-Parker

No. The published statistics of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency do not give details of expenditure on the support and maintenance of the Palestine refugees in particular areas and no figures are available in respect of Gaza.

According to the most recently published figures, a total of 179,731,000 dollars was spent on relief between the beginning of relief operations in 1948 and 30th June, 1956, the end of the last fiscal year. This expenditure relates to the total Palestine refugee population which in September this year numbered 922,279. Out of this total 216,971 were living in the Gaza area.