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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| U.S.: Aid to Palestinians May Be Halted |
| 2006-01-27 |
| The United States would have to freeze millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinian Authority if a Hamas-led government comes to power and refuses to renounce terror, a senior U.S. diplomat in Jerusalem said Friday. Jacob Walles, the U.S. consul-general in Jerusalem, said the U.S. would not deliver assistance to terror organizations, members of terror organizations or ministries controlled by people belonging to terror organizations. The United States, the European Union and Israel all consider Hamas to be a terrorist group. Hamas won an overwhelming victory in Palestinian legislative elections on Wednesday, capturing 76 of 132 seats. The victory stunned the world and sent Israel, the U.S. and Europe scrambling to figure out how to deal with the sudden rise of the group responsible for dozens of suicide bombings against Israel. The U.S. gave the Palestinian Authority $400 million in direct aid last year and several million more through various U.N. charities, Walles said. Some of the money was handed directly to Palestinian ministries. "I don't see how we would do that if those ministries were controlled by Hamas," Walles said. "At this point, Hamas has to make a choice. The onus is on them," he added. "If you want to be part of the political process ... you need to recognize Israel, you need to disarm and you need to renounce terror and violence. The choice is theirs." Without Western financial aid, the bankrupt Palestinian Authority, which ran a $1 billion operating deficit last year, would almost surely collapse. Foreign donors have poured about $1 billion annually into the Palestinian Authority, financing vast reconstruction efforts in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The United States is the single largest donor country, and along with Europe provides the vast majority of the foreign aid to the Palestinians. Rest at link. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #5 Renouncing terrorism by Hamas is always suspect. Shut off their money. Game over. We have taken enough hits this year, and we are hemmoraging cash. Time to start tightening our belts and this is as good a place as any. Let Chiraq give EU tax dollars if he wants. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2006-01-27 22:21 |
| #4 Not another f&cking red cent to these ungrateful murderous b@stards! Let them watch their pro-terrorist government crumble around their ears. Any government that continues to supply financial aid to the Palestinian Authority must be regarded as a terrorist sponsor. The Palestinians, with their endless blood lust, have finally painted themselves into a moral and ethical corner. The level of moronic idiocy exhibited by these f&ckwits is simply beyond belief. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-01-27 21:09 |
| #3 "Without Western financial aid, the bankrupt Palestinian Authority, which ran a $1 billion operating deficit last year, would almost surely collapse." Not to worry...surely the Arab nations will pony up the dough. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2006-01-27 16:50 |
| #2 What do they mean, "may"? Do it anyway. Hamas has for a long time been labeled a terrorist organization, so it makes sense to treat them like one. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2006-01-27 16:41 |
| #1 probably for the moment. Wait until our EU and russian "partners" in the roadmap pay up and start pressuring us. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2006-01-27 16:16 |