Sharon Asks Bush For $800 M Promised For Lebanon Withdrawal

Ha'aretz Daily ^

[RCW2001]

Sharon asks Bush for $800 M promised for Lebanon withdrawal

By Zvi Zrahiya, Ha'aretz Correspondent

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon asked U.S. President George W. Bush this weekend for $800 million in special aid to Israel, government sources in Jerusalem said Saturday.

The sources said that in addition to the increase, Sharon asked Bush to speed up the transfer of the regular American aid payment, which was supposed to have arrived at the end of 2001. They said the Americans promised to look into both requests.

Finance Ministry director general Ohad Marani will fly to the U.S. in the coming days to continue discussions on both matters.

Finance Minister Silvan Shalom told the Knesset last week that the Americans' failure to transfer the regular aid on time was one of the reasons for the enormous deficit in the 2001 budget. The $800 million in special aid was promised by former president Bill Clinton as compensation for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon.

However, it was never approved by Congress. Treasury sources said receipt of this aid could eliminate the need for a further budget cut this year - something that falling tax revenues otherwise makes likely.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

The $800 million in special aid was promised by former president Bill Clinton as compensation for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon.

Sharon should be asking the Sinkmeister for it, then. Any putz who keeps a $1 million in his checking account probably has at least $800 million in his mattress.

[vrwc54]

"For the past 10 years, Saudi Arabia has been the largest recipient of US foreign military aid, including some $33.5 billion in equipment, dwarfing even the sums Washington has supplied to Israel."

None of the hijackers on 9/11 were Israelis, BTW.

[chainsaw]

Daddy can I have a dollar?

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon asked U.S. President George W. Bush this weekend for $800 million

Why can't Israel raise their own taxes?
Clinton should not have promised something that he could not deliver.

The democrats are complaining that our surplus is going. This is the reason why.

There comes a time in eveyones life when they have to stand on their own two feet.      Israel I'm talking to you.

[scratchgolfer]

Good point. The Saudis get more and from them we get nothing except headaches, backstabbing, and 15 out of 19 hijackers on Sept. 11.

[RCW2001]

ALL "foreign aid " is THIEVERY...with perhaps the exception of a country that is in need due to a catestrophic 'natural' event.

[vrwc54]

No it's chutzpah, Miss Foe.

You must know a lot about chutzpah as you are a walking ad for it.

You've only been here a week yet you lecture everyone with your ME expertise.

Or I should say your newest screenname has been here only for a week.

[scratchgolfer]

I understand Saudi Arabia and Egypt are both in big trouble money-wise. Where did all that oil money go?

[tet68]

None of the hijackers on 9/11 were Israelis, BTW.

Hah! Plastic surgery! Fake Arab noses! Sex change operations!

Tinfoil !

[Alouette]

I should say your newest screenname has been here only for a week.

Who's Astonished Now????

Astonished	J Harris	Lematha	sawgrass
Passin Pilgrim	LeeAnn6	tynker	Kudzu Flat
Samaritan	Patria One	beecharmer	Miss Pixie
necho6	glassheart3	Friend_Or_Foe	TBD

[Shermy]

Get real.. The Saudis PURCHASE that equipment with oil money, not welfare money."

Thereby the "aid" we give Israel is welfare for our arms industry on which (I believe) most of the aid must be "spent"?

Nice that we give such welfare to benefit Egypt too, then Israel has to ask for more to keep ahead. Kind of clever scheme, no?

[NordP]

Yah, and he BELIEVED Clinton??? That was his first mistake. Many Americans are beginning to see the light, too. I was shocked when Bill O'Reilly believed Clinton when he said he had his book, too. O'Reilly believed first of all that he indeed HAD his book, and it seemed like O'Reilly even believed he READ it. With Clinton, you gotta know that if it's comin' out of HIS mouth, it's a lie.

[Shermy]

Thank you for that info. I'm sick of hearing the stuff about "supporting Israel" like we were bankrolling it's economy and existence.