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December 8, 1949institution creationforeign policyhuman rightsinternational lawforeign policylong horizon chronology

UN creates UNRWA for Palestinian refugees

The U.N. created UNRWA to provide relief and works programs for Palestinian refugees displaced by the 1948 war. UNRWA became a central humanitarian institution in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, and later a recurring target of political fights over aid and accountability.