A Proposal: An Advocacy Strategy to Protect UNRWA, Resolve its Chronic Financial Crisis and Reform its Mandate Explanation (7)14 In 1948, Arab states rightfully insisted that the UN and international community bear full responsibility for the plight of Palestinian refugees and IDPs, in line with the customary international rule, which dictates that the international burden may not be transferred from the state responsible for a violation to a third party. Therefore, Arab states refrained from bearing the burden of responsibility instead of Israel and international community, including financial responsibility of UNRWA’s budget. Due to declining state contributions and successive financial crises that affected UNRWA, Arab states have gradually contributed to the UNRWA General Fund. Prior to the current financial crisis, Arab states’ contributions to the UNRWA budget represented 7-8 percent. Today, the US Administration seeks to further transfer the financial burden to Arab states not so much because this year’s deficit (approximately 300 million USD) is non-payable, but because the USA is attempting to revoke international responsibility and transform the issue of refugees into an Arab-Palestinian issue. The call for Arab Gulf states, particularly, to raise their contributions to the UNRWA General Fund may temporarily retain some services. On the other hand, it means that the international community is relieved of its financial, legal and moral responsibility for Palestinian refugees and IDPs. It is precisely here that the trap into which the USA and Israel are attempting to lure the world lies. It paves the way for elimination of the Palestinian refugee and IDP issue and rights through involuntary integration in host countries and legitimation of the status quo. Realizing that a UNGA resolution on eliminating UNRWA is impossible, the USA, Israel and their allies have intensified their campaign to thwart UNRWA’s operations, cut off sources of financing, and transform it 14 18 Ibid.