Report: U.S. To Punish Israel

AP ^ | 8/4/03

[Sparta]

JERUSALEM -- The United States may turn up the heat in an effort to force Israel to halt construction of a long security fence.

An Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, says the State Department is proposing that American loan guarantees be cut by the amount that Israel spends building the 370-mile-long barrier.

The barrier runs east of the so-called "Green Line" -- Israel's border with Jordan before it captured the West Bank in the Six-Day War of 1967.

The newspaper also says money spent on building roads to bypass the West Bank would be included in the total cut from the loan guarantees.

In March, the United States tentatively approved $9 billion in loan guarantees but Congress hasn't formally approved the aid.

The first 90-mile section of the barrier is budgeted to cost $300 million. Israel Publishes List Of Palestinian Prisoners Israel says it's a goodwill gesture -- but the Palestinians say it doesn't go far enough.

Israeli Monday published a list of more than 340 Palestinian prisoners slated for release. The list includes people convicted of helping militant groups or actually taking part in violent acts. It also includes people who have been detained without charges for security reasons.

Israel says another 97 people convicted of other crimes would also be released.

But Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat says the limited release isn't enough. And he says it doesn't meet Israel's obligations under the U.S.-backed peace plan.

The Palestinians want Israel to free all of the 7,700 Palestinian prisoners it holds. But Israel's defense minister says Israel won't make any further peace moves until the Palestinians take action against the gunmen who ambushed an Israeli car this weekend.

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Sparta]

ping

[contessa machiaveli]

awww, are the palestinians offended that israel doesn't trust them? good fences make good neighbors in the suburbs, in israel it's a matter of life or death. adding another layer of protection in this case a physical barrier is good sense.

[Mr170IQ]

Effectively, reducing the loan guarantees by the cost of the fence is roughly the same as increasing the cost of the fence by approximately 10-15%, at least in the short run.

As threats go, this one is clearly designed for news headlines, as opposed to any actual impact.

[aimhigh]

Considering that all nations are judged according to how they judge Israel, this doesn't bode well for our economy.

[section9]

Considering that this is a State Dept. trial baloon that's going nowhere in an Election Year, I don't think there's much to worry about.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[risk]

Sometimes we're accused of meddling and forcing our values on other countries. We usually deny the charge vigorously here. But this is one example that would seem to make all of those claims valid.

Who are we to tell Israel where to put their fences?