As the Palestinian Authority spirals into bankruptcy, both the EU and the US have signalled that they are more than willing to continue aid. All Hamas has to do is recognize Israel, disarm its military wing and commit to peace.
`Sorry, no can do, but keep sending the money anyway' seems to be the message Hamas is sending back.
A move is already ongoing in the US Congress to curtail aid to Hamasistant and American aid packages have been frozen. The European Parliament voted to continue aid temporarily, but made future aid to the Palestinians contigent on a Hamas-led government committing to seeking peace with Israel and renounces violence.
This may just be the US and EU's way of disengaging from the new Hamasistan. The new election seems to have clarified a few things for some people.
Meanwhile the slack is being picked up by Saudi Arabia and Qatar (as I predicted), which have reportedly sent an emergency $33 million to tide the Palestinians over.
As it is salaries to Palestinian government employess and `security personnel' are being held up for at least two weeks.
Hamas is reportedly on a fundraising tour of the Arab world. The Saudis have pledged $100 million largely to counteract Iran's influence. iran is also more than likely on board.
This is yet another sign of a rift between Teheran and Riyadh, along with Abdullah's tour of Asia to line up support for UN sanctions.
Munir al-Masri, a Hamas spokesman, said: “I think if the international position continues as unyielding there will always be an alternative through controlling our resources and resorting to our Arabic and Islamic strategic depths. Many of the leaders and the prime ministers and princes and investors have made calls and confirmed that they will stand by the Palestinian people.”
Others are sceptical. “Only one tenth of the money pledged by the Arab world is collected, despite numerous trips by authority officials around the region over the years,” Diana Buttu, a former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said.
Why dont all OIL rich countries double thir AID
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Because up to now, they have been able to con the western democracies into paying for the people they helped turn into refugees....and their decendents.
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