Yielding to pressure from its allies, the Bush administration endorsed a European proposal on Tuesday to increase aid to the Palestinian territories, including money that could pay the salaries of some civil servants working under Hamas.The administration's endorsement modified its opposition to any aid that could find its way to government employees as long as Hamas is in power and does not renounce its violent opposition to Israel.
Europeans said their plan was a response to mounting anxiety that a cutoff in aid since the election of a Hamas-led government in the West Bank and Gaza has led to critical shortages of food, medicine and other basic needs. The shortages could also create riots and instability, European officials said.
The Europeans have been searching for a way to increase aid while circumventing the Hamas government. Although the plan is still being formed, the idea is to have the money go through a new financial entity, possibly some kind of international organization, for the time being. The goal, said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, external relations commissioner of the European Union, is to "distribute aid to the Palestinian people without going through the Palestinian government."
However, European officials said Tuesday that in some cases, the aid could pay for salaries of teachers, nurses and doctors now on the Palestinian payroll. Part of the crisis in the West Bank and Gaza, they said, is that salaries for some 160,000 government employees have not been paid for two months.
| More important, the EU wants the Hamas bomb techs, splodydopes and gunnies to have work so that they don't migrate to Y'urp ... |
Despite the broad endorsement, it was apparent that differences remained on exactly how the mechanism might work. Javier Solana,
In addition, European officials, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the statement, said it was also possible that Israel would be encouraged to place some of the tax money it collects for the Palestinians into the new financing mechanism. Since the Hamas government was installed, Israel has refused to hand over the tax revenues.
American officials said that Israel might feel comfortable transferring the funds to the new entity if it were seen as entirely separate from the Palestinian governing authorities.
| Instead, the Israelis are turning off the gas, as noted elsewhere on the Burg today. |
| Since we're getting exactly what we want. |
The Europeans, on the other hand, say they have no desire to become the paymaster for Palestinian government officials, even if Hamas were to change its colors, but that a looming humanitarian crisis and instability is in no one's interest. "Aid to the Palestinians must be kept for humanitarian and political reasons," said Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French foreign minister, in an interview. "Our position is to oppose punishing the Palestinian people just because they voted badly. That makes no sense."
| It's the whole point of democracy, you idiot! You vote in a bunch of terrorists, you live with the result. Or change your government. |