Bush gives Palestinians $20 million

Tim56

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Thread starter #1
U.S. OKs $20M for Palestinian Authority
Wednesday, December 08, 2004

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has approved $20 million in direct aid to help the Palestinian Authority as it prepares for Jan. 9 presidential elections to replace Yasser Arafat.

The U.S. aid, allowed only by waiving existing law, is meant to help the cash-strapped and beleaguered Palestinian Authority (search) pay its utility bills so its power will not be cut off, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Wednesday.

"They are in a serious financial situation right now," McClellan said of the Palestinians. "This will help them address some of those financial issues as they move forward on holding elections and putting the institutions in place."

Secretary of State Colin Powell (search) recommended that President Bush use his waiver authority to allow direct aid to the Palestinians, which is now on hold because of longstanding U.S. concerns about corruption in the leadership ranks of the Palestinian Authority, and Bush agreed, McClellan said.

Earlier this year, the administration contributed $127 million to Palestinians. Last year, $20 million was given directly to the Authority.

Of the new round of funding, McClellan said the administration has "great confidence in the ability of those funds being directed toward the purpose for which they are designated."

"This contribution of financial assistance hopefully will send a signal to other nations as well that they should help the Palestinian people as they move forward on conducting these elections," he said.

The White House also welcomed an agreement between the Palestinians and Israel on the logistics of the elections.

"That's a positive and constructive step forward," McClellan said.

Arafat died last month.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,140953,00.html

They shouldn't be given one cent until they show a genuine commitment to stopping terrorism. If they are so desperate for money, why don't they chase the hundreds of millions Arafat stole from them?
 

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GuruJane

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#3
medusala said:
agree but how much of the US funding and soft loans to Israel over the decades has been spent on military funding?
The billions given to Arafat were to build the Palestinian state.

Not one cent was spent on schools, hospitals or new housing.

The aid to Israel spent on military funding was transparently for that purpose, similiar to US military aid to Egypt.
 

CharlieG

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#4
Why doesn't that article provide a comparison of funding for Israel and funding for Palestine?

I suspect it would have made Palestine's $127m look like leftovers, huh?
 

OldLion

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#5
GuruJane said:
The billions given to Arafat were to build the Palestinian state.

Not one cent was spent on schools, hospitals or new housing.

The aid to Israel spent on military funding was transparently for that purpose, similiar to US military aid to Egypt.
Proof ?
 

Tim56

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Thread starter #6
CharlieG said:
Why doesn't that article provide a comparison of funding for Israel and funding for Palestine?

I suspect it would have made Palestine's $127m look like leftovers, huh?
Difference being, Israeli money is used for infrastructure and legitimate self defence, not terrorism and officially sanctioned theft.
 

Lestat

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#7
Tim56 said:
Difference being, Israeli money is used for infrastructure and legitimate self defence, not terrorism and officially sanctioned theft.
BWHAHAHA....good one Tim56, its good to see you have a sense of humour.

Oh...wait a minute.....you were being serious? :confused:

I particularly found amusing your statement on 'Officially sanctioned theft'.....have you noticed the path that the so-called 'defensive wall' has taken lately.
 

afc9798

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#8
GuruJane said:
The billions given to Arafat were to build the Palestinian state.

Not one cent was spent on schools, hospitals or new housing.

The aid to Israel spent on military funding was transparently for that purpose, similiar to US military aid to Egypt.
Easy way to get the Palestinian Authority to give up deploying and supporting terrorism. Give them the same aid that was given to Israel and alow them to even up their arsenals. Let's see how Israel would cope with a truly level playing field and without US intervention. Why couldn't they be trusted equally as the West blindly trusts israel's motives. There is a precedent, given that the IDF were formed on the back of terrorism, why wouldn't the Palestinians turn into model world citizens like the Israelis? Jane, Timbo, Hawk?
 

sinepari

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#11
afc9798 said:
Easy way to get the Palestinian Authority to give up deploying and supporting terrorism. Give them the same aid that was given to Israel and alow them to even up their arsenals. Let's see how Israel would cope with a truly level playing field and without US intervention.
I believe the Israelis would quite easily win. There army is by far the most flexible in the world. An extremely efficient and effective war fighting machine
 

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Bombers 2003

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#13
Tim56 said:
Difference being, Israeli money is used for infrastructure and legitimate self defence, not terrorism and officially sanctioned theft.
And what about not having any infrastructure due to isreali destruction at attempts to build a infrastructure?.
 

Bombers 2003

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#14
sinepari said:
I believe the Israelis would quite easily win. There army is by far the most flexible in the world. An extremely efficient and effective war fighting machine
Oh,it's efficent and effective at fighting alright.Good point. IT'S ALSO GOOD AT KILLING------------- Civilians ----------that is.
 

Qsaint

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#15
sinepari said:
I believe the Israelis would quite easily win. There army is by far the most flexible in the world. An extremely efficient and effective war fighting machine
As an Australian Army Officer coming back from Israel once said " A fourth rate army fighting a fifth rate enemy"
 

afc9798

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#16
sinepari said:
I believe the Israelis would quite easily win. There army is by far the most flexible in the world. An extremely efficient and effective war fighting machine
The potential deployment of WMD's on either side would no doubt neutralise any fighting advantage. If the Palestinians had WMD's I doubt that they would ever be engaged with the IDF in a battle.
 
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