Wed, 9 Jun 2004

David Bedein
Bureau Chief
Israel Resource News Agency
media@actcom.co.il
¨
Geneva,

The UN had not invited Israel to attend the UN conference which concludes
today
in Geneva on the subject of the future of Palestinian Arab refugees.

Despite the fact that the UN spokesman had said that the UN would not honor
Israeli press credentials at this UN conference, the UN press desk did
recognize the Israel press credentials which I presented at the desk.

(A US State Dep't rep who was present at the meeting confirmed that the US
had
affirmed the decision to exclude Israel from this conference.)

A young Egyptian clerk looked up at me and said, simply, that "we are at
peace
with you", and processed the press pass.

The UNRWA spokesman was livid at his decision, yet could do nothing about
it.

The conclusion of the conference was to help Arab refugees plan for yet
another undetermined amount of time as "temporary" residents of Arab refugee
camps, where they have lingered since 1948.

Israel was not given any opportunity to answer charges that UNRWA leveled
against the Jewish State.

The PLO was given a table at the conference, where they promoted the concept
that Arab refugees could take back the land that they left in 1948, despite
the fact that these lands have been replaced by Israeli villages, collective
farms and woodlands.