The following Press Statement was released Friday, February 27, 2004 in Washington D.C. by State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher.

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United States Support for Palestinian Refugees

President George W. Bush on February 25, 2004 authorized the Department of
State to use up to $20 million from the U.S. Emergency Refugee and Migration
Assistance Fund to assist Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and Gaza
through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in
the Near East (UNRWA). This contribution is in response to the agency s $193
million 2004 emergency appeal to fund food, shelter, health, and other
humanitarian needs of the over 1.5 million Palestinian refugees in the West
Bank and Gaza. The United States is the largest bilateral donor to UNRWA. We
encourage other donors to contribute urgently to this emergency appeal.