 Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas yesterday called on the European Union to continue channeling financial aid to the Palestinian people, even if it meant bypassing the Hamas-led government. “The EU is a big donor to the Palestinian people,” Abbas told reporters during a short visit in the Finnish capital before traveling on to France. “The Palestinian people are in bad need of their help and they should continue to help in a way that satisfies them,” Abbas said. “Without funds I do not think we can survive,” he added.
| "With funds we'll be able to continue doing what we've been doing." |
The Palestinian Authority has been battling with a financial crisis since Hamas took power in government in March, prompting international boycotts and a suspension of EU and United States funding.
| If you decide you want a terrorist organization as your government, you really should be prepared to take the consequences. |
Direct aid was halted in response to the refusal by Hamas, which runs the key Palestinian ministries, to reject violence, recognize the state of Israel and honor past peace deals.
| Even thugs like Yasser profess their deep and abiding love for peace and brotherhood and all that stuff. This invariably results in a willing suspension of disbelief by the Euros, followed by a fair sized flow of cash. |
The EU, the largest donor with some 500 million euros ($622 million) per year, has promised however to continue its humanitarian aid. The bloc has been looking for ways to channel its aid earmarked for Palestinians through AbbasÂ’ office.
| I'd send it someplace where it'd be better spent, like Cambodia or Botswana. |
Finnish President Tarja Halonen said at the Helsinki briefing that the EU had to balance its commitment to democracy with the fight against terrorism. “The EU of course respects democracy, but we also respect the rules that we have committed to, to be against terrorism,” she said. Finland takes over the rotating EU presidency in July. Abbas was to fly on to Paris, ending a tour which also took him to Norway and Turkey.
| Making the rounds, hat in hand. I wonder how much of a brick he's carrying with him for... ummm... gratuities? Zahhar lost almost a half million in Kuwait. |
On Wednesday in Oslo, Abbas had called for direct negotiations to be held “immediately” between Israelis and Palestinians at a proposed international conference on resolving the Middle East conflict.
| Yasser always used to call for peace talks when things weren't going his way, too... |
Israel responded coolly to the idea, saying the Hamas-led government stood in the way of any talks.
| If they're the government, and they want to kill the Israelis, what rational reason is there for "peace" talks? |
Abbas said “an international conference should be summoned immediately, in which direct negotiations take place, on the basis of international UN resolutions and signed agreements. I believe that to resolve the conflict, both sides should not be left alone with this imbalance of occupier and occupied.” |