In little more than six double-spaced, typed pages, the Director of UN Relief for Palestine Refugees and the Executive Secretary of AFSC set forth the terms under which AFSC agrees to implement a relief program in Gaza. The statement, dated December 1948, emphasizes that the UN recognizes AFSC as “an independent and autonomous organization.”
The bottom of page two asserts that relief will be distributed “on the basis of minimum essential need, without distinction to race, colour, creed or political belief so as to ensure that one group of refugees will not be favoured to the prejudice of any other group…” Those in greatest need would always take priority.
The level of tension in the region led AFSC to insert the condition that they could withdraw from work in combat areas, in case active hostilities spread to Egypt.
