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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| UN seeks 80 percent increase in aid to Palestinians |
| 2006-05-31 |
| Woah, take it easy there, folks. Let's not all push and shove. Don't want anybody getting hurt in the stampede to get this done... JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The United Nations called for an 80 percent increase in emergency humanitarian aid to Palestinians on Wednesday, citing a deepening crisis that follows a freeze in Western assistance to the government. The United Nations and aid groups said in a statement they had revised an emergency aid appeal for 2006 to $385 million from an original estimate of $215 million. The money would help pay for employment programs, food aid and health care. Yes, yes. None of that nasty guns and ammo stuff. And corruption? Certainly not? Western countries cut off direct aid to the Palestinian Authority after the militant Islamist group Hamas, which is sworn to destroy Israel but has largely abided by a truce for over a year, took over the government following elections in January. They're really good guys. Really... The aid freeze has left the Palestinian Authority unable to pay salaries of 165,000 government workers, and has resulted in shortages of basic necessities including medical supplies. So don't get sick... "We have been compelled to revise our original appeal in the face of desperate need. It is particularly aimed at assisting the most vulnerable Palestinians, including children who make up half the population," said David Shearer, head of the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Ah, yes! Everybody! Say it with me! It's for... The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, cited a 600 percent increase in applications for short-term, U.N.-sponsored jobs in the West Bank. The program's Gaza waiting-list now tops 100,000 people. UNRWA: Serving your refugee needs for almost sixty years. Shearer said the World Food Program had also warned the international community that more Palestinians were unable to meet their daily food needs. Western powers have called on Hamas to recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by existing peace agreements if it wants contacts or aid to resume. Hamas has so far refused. Bon appetit! |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #10 I guess Hamas has scared the UN out its usual food for nookie response to this sort of thing, . |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-05-31 23:15 |
| #9 Too bad the UN doesn't have enough brains to tie an 80% Palestinian aid increase to an 80% decrease in agression against Israel. Of course, that would require the UN to actually show some backbone when it comes to anti-Semitism and we all know that ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Sometimes it's difficult to tell who, exactly, are the bigger @ssholes. The UN, with all its pretensions of ability, education and diplomacy being directed towards such blatant eliteism, or the Palestinians whose intractably sideways attitude towards peaceful coexistence really needs to be rewarded in a like manner for once and all. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-05-31 22:07 |
| #8 I suggest a 80% cut in water and power going into "Palistine" until they renounce violence, colect all the weapons and toss them in the ocean and disarm all 'Palistinian" factions in Lebanon and Syria. That and toss the UN out. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2006-05-31 21:32 |
| #7 Somebody tell me again why the Palestinians deserve to live off foreign aid Because they're doing something about a problem that bothers (nearly) everybody? |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-05-31 20:50 |
| #6 Sahara Desert, hell! Move it to Gaza. I suggest an 80% increase to the paleos, too - 80% more missles and rockets from the IDF. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-05-31 20:38 |
| #5 Another reason to move the UN to the Sahara Desert. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-05-31 20:30 |
| #4 Palestinians have a higher standard of living, funded by western aid, than most of the people living on this planet. The typical African, Indian or Chinese villager has lower consuption of calories, eats far less protein, has a lower life expectancy, has far lower access to education, or to health care than the average Palestinian. They probbaly don't have access to running water or electricity and job prospects are bleaker. Somebody tell me again why the Palestinians deserve to live off foreign aid... |
| Posted by: john 2006-05-31 17:44 |
| #3 How about an 80% Manhattan rent increase? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-05-31 17:14 |
| #2 The Arab League will be stepping up to the plate shortly... |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-05-31 17:12 |
| #1 I call for an 80% decrease in Palestinian terrorists! |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2006-05-31 17:00 |