 DAMASCUS, Syria - Syria began a weeklong campaign on Sunday to collect money for the Palestinians, following a visit by the Palestinian foreign minister 10 days ago. Syrian President Bashar Assad launched the campaign after hosting Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar, who urged Arabs and Muslims to come to the rescue after the United States and some European countries cut off aid to the Hamas-led government.
| "Guys! A little help here or we're titz-up!" |
The Palestinian Authority, run by the terrorist militant group responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings, has been in default unable to pay the salaries of 165,000 government free-loaders employees, and the West Bank and Gaza have plunged into political and economic chaos not that you could tell.
SyriaÂ’s top comedian ...
... was among dozens of people in line to donate at a state-run bank in Damascus Sunday _ one of 14 donation points, one in each Syrian province. “All people should raise their hats in respect to any group that resists occupation of its land,” Duraid Laham said, wrapping a Palestinian black-and-white checkered keffiyeh around his neck.
Duda Badawi, 44, a Palestinian working in Syria, said she would donate two months’ salary. Syrian Amal Zarzar, 58, called her donation “the minimum thing” she could do for Palestinians “living in tragic conditions." Thousands of Syrians are expected to donate by the end of the week.
The head of the group organizing the effort, the Popular Committee for the Support of the Palestinian People, ...
| ... not to be confused with the Popular Committee for Palestinian Peoples' Support ... |
... said the Syrian people would “stand alongside” the Palestinian people so they would not be forced to “kneel down due to starvation and siege.”
| I rather like the idea of the Syrians standing right next to the Paleos. |
“Our destiny is linked to that of the Palestinians,“Ahmed Abdul-Karim said. “Our battle is their battle, and their steadfastness is ours,” he said.
The Syrian committee has donated about US$18 million to the Palestinians _ plus 16 convoys of medicine, food and clothes _ since it was founded five years ago. Syria is home to HamasÂ’ exiled leadership, including current boss Khaled Mashaal, and has frequently rejected US calls to expel the groupÂ’s leaders or any other radical Palestinian factions. |