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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Arabs 'to break Hamas aid freeze'
2006-11-13
Arab foreign ministers considering a response to Israel's Gaza offensive say they have decided to break a freeze on aid to the Palestinian government.

The ministers met hours after the US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli actions in Gaza. Arab League chief Amr Moussa said the veto was incomprehensible.
He would, wouldn't he? Mean ole' Zionists beating up on the baby ducks and fluffy bunnies in Gaza, what's not to understand?
The Arab ministers, meeting in Cairo, said they would somehow get funds to the Palestinians despite a Western-led ban imposed when Hamas was elected.

The foreign minister of Qatar said the Arabs were determined to find a way to get aid to the Palestinians. It is not yet clear how that will happen, given that banks have been reluctant to make transfers to the Palestinian Authority for fear of sanctions by the US.
Which now might be in question after the election, unless Dubya and Condi re-grow their spines.
The Palestinian foreign minister, Mahmoud Zahar, acknowledged that it would take time for the funds to flow, but he said the decision would facilitate the formation of a national unity government with Fatah.

Regardless of how it will be implemented, the Arab decision is above all a message to the Americans. There is anger in the region at the way the US used its veto to pre-empt a Security Council resolution condemning Israel's offensive in Gaza this week, in which 18 civilians were killed.
Zionists, bunny blood, etc.
Egypt and other Arab states have been pressing the Palestinians to form a national unity government as a way of diluting the influence of Hamas, which refuses to recognise Israel. They consider that the US veto makes their job harder and reduces the chance of any resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Posted by:tipper

#10  Tapeworm alert

Angry
Posted by: pihkalbadger   2006-11-13 18:47  

#9  Knock yourselves out, boys. We can shut down your banks too.
Posted by: mojo   2006-11-13 16:19  

#8  This is part of the same 'deal' (or more accurately deal in process that will probably not be completed) that will require the PA to sit in on a conference (or seminar or meeting or symposium or someting) between reps from the Arab League and Israel.

The Arab states had been sending funds to the PA previously and they will continue doing so in the future. The amount of funds and who the check is made out to is dependent on a lot of things. The Saudis have certain favorite guys in the PA; the Egyptians do too (not the same). The Jordanians won't send more than token amounts partly because they don't have much money and partly because they don't trust very many people in the PA. It goes on and on.

Posted by: mhw   2006-11-13 12:40  

#7  Let 'em use their Big Mo Widows-n-Orphans Fund for, y'know, actual widows and orphans.
Posted by: Seafarious   2006-11-13 11:19  

#6  If Egypt is giving aid, then obviously they don't need all the aid we send them. Let's cut it 2-for-1.
Posted by: Jackal   2006-11-13 06:48  

#5  The arabs might get them a meager one-time payment, but I doubt that they are going to put them on the gravy train. Better them than us anyway. We can put that aid money to better use, like for people who want peace and progress and a better life. The palestinians make their living by being victims, take that away and they are just jobless assholes like everyone else in the region.
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2006-11-13 06:30  

#4  Arabs are going to finance PA?
Posted by: gromgoru   2006-11-13 06:24  

#3  Arabs'
Posted by: .com   2006-11-13 04:29  

#2  It's the Arab's tar-baby, let them maintain it. The "Arab Street" is irrelevant, classic Beeb strawman BS, as they will always hate us (hell, everyone not paying jizya) regardless. The phoney Arab allies' (lol) criticism was ignored - thanks Bush - and that's a sound policy to continue... for two more years, anyway. Nothing would be (has been) gained by attempting the usual State Dept accommodation and appeasement - and much $$$ would be wasted in the farce.
Posted by: .com   2006-11-13 04:24  

#1  Regardless of how it will be implemented, the Arab decision is above all a message to the Americans. There is anger in the region at the way the US used its veto to pre-empt a Security Council resolution condemning Israel's offensive in Gaza this week, in which 18 civilians were killed.

Yoo hoo ... Weren't those the 18 "civilians" who bought it because they were in a house where massive amounts of explosives were stored?

Or were these the 18 killed while they raced to provide human shields for terrorists who were attempting to escape a mosque where they had holed up?

Either way, my heart pumps piss.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-11-13 01:09  

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