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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| EU suspends aid to Palestinians |
| 2006-04-07 |
| The European Union has cut off direct aid payments to the Hamas-led Palestinian government because of its refusal to renounce violence and recognize Israel, the EU's executive office said Friday. Hamas said the decision amounts to collective punishment of Palestinian people. The 25-nation EU is the largest international donor to Palestinian Authority. "We call on the EU not to adopt such decisions and policies, which we consider collective punishment against the Palestinian people, because they exercised their democratic right through elections," said legislator Mushir al-Masri, head of Hamas' parliament faction. European Commission spokeswoman Emma Udwin said some $36.9 million marked for release later this year was at stake. She added that the temporary aid cut-off would not affect humanitarian aid sent to non-governmental organizations or to U.N. relief agencies. "For the time being there are no payments to or through the Palestinian authority," she said. The decision affects aid coming from the EU general budget, not individual European countries. EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss Monday how European countries should deal with aid in the long-term. "The EU will need to develop some new strategy, some new measures, some new decisions," Udwin told reporters. "While this decision-making process is under way ... we are adopting a policy of maximum prudence." She said the Commission's decision to halt the aid did not prejudge the ministers' decision. But she noted that Hamas had failed to meet the EU's conditions for continued aid -- recognition of Israel, nonviolence and acceptance of existing agreements. Since Hamas' victory in January parliamentary elections, the United States and the European Union have threatened to cut of $1 billion in aid unless the Islamic militant group changes its policies toward Israel. Canada became the first government besides Israel to cut off financial assistance the day Hamas formally took power. The EU Commission front-loaded $143 million in urgent aid for to the former Fatah-led Palestinian government in February. It included $21.6 million in direct aid to the caretaker Palestinian government. The rest went to help pay energy and other essential utility bills and fund health and education projects through the U.N. Relief and Works Agency. EU officials said it received a promise from the former Palestinian government and confirmation from the World Bank that the direct aid was spent before the Hamas-led government took office. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #13 WOT? Now the so-called war on terror is starving a whole people. Give the Palestinians all that they need. Only 1 person per day has died at the hands of terrorists, since 9-11. WOT is an expensive joke. WOT defenders are 100% crybabies, whose mothers spanked them into deviant obsessions. Peace. |
| Posted by: Noamist 2006-04-07 16:44 |
| #12 Suddenly, I don't have anything to say. |
| Posted by: Yusef Islam 2006-04-07 12:50 |
| #11 Let 'em WORK for a living. I have to. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-04-07 19:52 |
| #10 Believe me, they'll sell the indirect aid and use the proceeds to buy weapons. There was an article here or somewhere else a few months ago documenting that very thing: Paleos selling EU food aid for cash. Now the proceeds from those sales were probably lining the pockets of some Fatah fatcat. No doubt that the much less corrupt Hamas (rolls eyes, spits) will funnel the cash to the "resistance" instead. Not to mention all of the "zakat" that's still flowing to them from the Saudis and Iranians. Beseige them and starve them. The ones that surrender can be put on barges. Tow the barges and anchor them in the middle of the Persian Gulf. If the Gulf Muslims love them so much, they can take them in. |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2006-04-07 15:10 |
| #9 He's being followed by a sinktrap shadow... |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-04-07 14:42 |
| #8 hey, baby, its a wild world |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2006-04-07 13:00 |
| #7 Their collective IQ must be about 11. This is commonly known as a "shoe-sized IQ." |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-04-07 12:17 |
| #6 Maybe the Palestinians will finally get a clue that they aren't global wards of other nations but a nation themselves. They elected Hamas to govern them. They got what they voted for. Besides, the EU is going to need that money to keep France afloat. Maybe next time they'll vote for someone who will provide them with services and jobs instead of promises to wipe Israel off the map. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-04-07 12:04 |
| #5 The Palestinians, who are basically non-productive at best and collecting international welfare, democratically chose heightened levels of animosity and belligerence. And they are shocked -- yes, shocked -- that their welfare checks do not continue. Muslims are blowing up people in London, burning cars across France, and stalking cartoonists in Denmark, and the Palestinians, who are firing rockets into Israel, are shocked -- yes, shocked -- that their welfare checks do not continue. Their collective IQ must be about 11. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-04-07 11:54 |
| #4 and kudos to Condi Rice, for the ongoing diplo reconcialiation with the EU, and the Israeli govt, whose continued restraint in the face of provocation is paying dividends. Of couse neither could have done it without the bullheaded stubborness of Hamas. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2006-04-07 11:53 |
| #3 EU officials said it received a promise from the former Palestinian government and confirmation from the World Bank that the direct aid was spent before the Hamas-led government took office. On guns and ammunition, no doubt. Still, an unexpected and nice |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-04-07 11:48 |
| #2 "Hamas said the decision amounts to collective punishment of Palestinian people." Wow! They actually get the message! |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-04-07 11:44 |
| #1 squeeeeeze |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-04-07 10:56 |