Posted on 12/08/2004 8:09:37 AM PST by yonif
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration on Wednesday announced it was giving $20 million in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority to help it through a financial crisis. A senior Bush administration official said it hoped the aid would encourage additional donations from other countries "at a time when the Palestinian Authority is in desperate need of budget support to pay its bills, maintain stability and allow it to focus on the larger question of governing."
The Palestinian Authority is facing a severe financial crisis due to falling tax revenues during four years of violence which has paralyzed the Palestinian economy.
The $20 million in direct aid was to be announced during an international donors conference for the Palestinians in Oslo.
It is part of a push to help the Palestinians before their Jan. 9 election, at which President Bush hopes the Palestinians will elect a democratic leader willing to negotiate peace with Israel.
"The upcoming Palestinian elections have made a functioning Palestinian Authority more important than ever," the official said. "The United States has a national security interest in helping to end the ongoing violence and terror in the Middle East and to make progress toward the president's June 24, 2002, vision of peace."
The money is to help pay utility services, including the payment of arrears to Israeli utility companies.
Ping.
Isn't that what Mrs. Arafat gets a month from the Palis?
I think the administration made a bad decision here, all the way around.
The Palestinian abuse of the American goodwill can only last so long. I hope...
Good grief.
You know sometimes I don`t undersand Bush at all. Between the illegal alien thing and now this, what the hell is he thinking? The damn PLO needs money, let them get it from ARAFATS WIFE WHO IS LIVING IN A TOILET CALLED PARIS AS A MULTI MILLIONAIRE FROM MONEY STOLEN FROM THE PLO! Doh!
It wouldn't be bad If they got for example medicines worth $20 million, but giving them cash is not a good idea.
That will really make them like us. When Pigs Fly!
Maybe if they got jobs instead of blowing things up, they'd have a growing economy.
My sentiments exactly. They are parasites intent on destroying their host. They had little use for that land until the Jews moved in and made something of it. What in the world is Bush thinking?
"Darling, he gave them $20 mill so you don`t have to return the money now. Congratualtions."
I wonder if Swiss banks have direct deposit?
I wonder what small percentage will actually help aid the Palestinians, and what huge percentage will be used to manufacture more suicide bombs?
This is an attempt by Bush and his administration to change the PA from a terrorist supporting organization to a truly functioning democracy. If the PA switches from the Arafat teat to the US teat, it will start a competition with the PA. The Iranian influence will be lessened, and it gives the US a much stronger hand in guiding PA policy.
This is a good idea by Bush - at least worth a try. It's only 20 mil, and the potential benefit is huge.
There are times when I think that the irony of it all is that we are becoming too deserving of our own destruction.
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