Suha Arafat: ..Yes Frist, tell your american taxpayers foot the bill. I got all the money :)
Posted on 05/27/2005 10:00:14 AM PDT by GOPGuide
In about three months, Israel will begin its courageous withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Nearly 8,500 Israeli settlers will pack up their homes and relocate. Many settlers are unhappy; some will resist. The road to peace will not be easy.
But the most urgent challenge of Gaza is not Israel's disengagement, but the Palestinian Authority's subsequent management over this troubled area. A coordinated hand-over that prevents instability and builds confidence means progress toward the "road map" to peace, while turmoil ensures a detour. Escalation of violence could lead to the collapse of Mahmoud Abbas' government - some have even suggested a third intifada.
Wednesday, when I met with President Abbas on Capitol Hill, we discussed the importance of this transition. He understands that the credibility of his government and the hopes of his people depend on the Palestinian Authority's ability to deliver the fruits of peace, especially jobs and social services.
But President Abbas cannot turn his words into reality if the resources required for success, particularly in Gaza, are not readily available. That, in turn, could mean the end of President Bush's vision of two democratic states living side by side in peace and security. As a strong supporter of Israel and what she stands for, we cannot let that happen.
This is not an easy thing for an optimist such as myself to say. But having just spent a week meeting with leaders in the region, I believe that the next 90 days are a crucial test for peace. This is why the United States, Europe and the Arab world need to act quickly and boldly to empower President Abbas by at least doubling, and delivering, the financial assistance they've committed to meet the needs of the Palestinian people.
The international community has provided the Palestinians with a great deal of money over the years, only to see it frittered away through fraud and waste. But with new leadership now in Ramallah, and the chance for peace high, we can afford to risk a little more when so much is at stake.
President Abbas also must do his part to:
• Overhaul Palestinian institutions and govern with transparency and accountability.
• Show the Palestinian people that their needs are his priority, and that progress will be made through negotiation, not violence.
• Disarm and disband militants, because ending terrorism is the prerequisite for peace in the region.
• Ensure that arms aren't smuggled into Gaza for terrorist operations against Israel.
At the same time, the Palestinian Authority must jump start Gaza's economy and create a functioning legal system to go after terrorists and criminals. All of this requires substantial funding.
If he can demonstrate meaningful progress to the Palestinian people, and renew their hope for a better life, then Abbas can pursue his reform agenda and implementation of the road map. If he fails and Hamas - the radical Islamic Palestinian group opposed to peace and responsible for many brutal attacks against Israel - gains, the peace process will be imperiled.
Abbas has already taken steps to reform the Palestinian Authority. He has consolidated the security services, has begun removing elements of Yasser Arafat's old guard, and is improving fiscal accountability. Much more needs to be done, beginning with the complete dismantlement of terrorist organizations, but this will take time - a scarce commodity.
For nearly four years, the United States has been fighting terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. It has cost us billions of dollars and an even higher price in the lives of our military personnel. This war must be fought and won, but we cannot do it on the battlefield alone.
Some of our enemies say they fight on behalf of the Palestinian people. Many see this issue as the source of resentment toward America. Despite our longstanding efforts in the Arab world and on behalf of Muslim peoples, some no longer see the United States as an honest broker. We must continue to demonstrate to the world that we stand for peace, justice and freedom by continuing to lead on this issue. In the long run, America will be more safe and secure, and so will Israel.
The window for peace in the Middle East has opened, but I fear it will close (and maybe for good) in the next few months, unless we keep both sides talking and moving forward. We must look ahead and make sure President Abbas has the means to do his part to make peace in the Middle East a real possibility.
Frist has until the end of June to use that "juice" he has ,... politicos' "juice" has a shelf life, it may already be spoiled
We need another Bush like we need another McNut.
Screw them all, nothing but traitors and cowardly milksops.
...well maybe not Trent Lot, but perhaps Bob Dole, er a... well maybe not Bob Dole, but perhaps...
Aw to hell with it. The Senate sucks!
I view this as giving the Palestinians enough rope to hang themselves. If the handover and additional funding doesn't show rewards such as the discontinuance of vile anti-Jewish propaganda in the Palestinian newspapers and an end to the teaching of the idiology of destroying the Jews to school children, and it doesn't bring peaceful co-existance, then the Palestinians should be the ones pushed out of the area.
It's time for the Palestinians to put up or shut up. Either start being 'a partner', or exit to one of the middle-eastern states that will give you a better deal than Israel will.
I haven't much patience left. I feel this effort by Israel will be met with the same results all the other efforts have been met with. That being said, I think it's best to give this last effort a chance. When it fails, as I believe it will, then it will be time to expel all Arabs from the area and put the nix to there every being a 'Palestinian' state next to Israel.
There are plenty of reasons to disagree with me here. I acknowledge that. I just want it to be blatantly clear why Israel is going to expell the "Palestinians". End of story.
BTW, to you and I both, it already is.
I suppose you'd feel safer with another Clinton?
I'd prefer to make my own decisions about which charities to support.
Suha Arafat: ..Yes Frist, tell your american taxpayers foot the bill. I got all the money :)
Forgive me for intruding...
It's always easy to 'just keep giving 'em more rope with which to hang themselves'- "let's just give 'em a little more rope...", well, are we ever going to use that rope to just hang 'em?
Or do we just keep giving them more rope?
I am so angry at the cr*p going on this week to begin with, then this $50,000,000 gift to terrorists... Like that money is not going to get to Hamas and Al Qaeda? How many of our troops and innocent Israelis will end up dead because of this? !@#$%^&*!!!!
You're going to get Clinton whether you like it or not in 08.
How many millions have been given to the Palestinians over the last 10 years and what is the population there?
There's not one bit of difference anyway.
There's not one bit of difference anyway.
You're much too cynical.
It may surprise you, but I agree completely. The problem for Israel is that Europe and the rest of the world lean too heavily toward blaming Israel for everything.
If Israel were getting a fair shake, it would have been given the green light to expel the Arabs ('Palestinians') years ago. Well, things aren't fair.
If this handover does not result in peace, then to hell with Europe and the rest of the world.
You know, we keep playing footsie with the U.N. and the E.U., and it's buys neither Israel our ourselves anything anymore. Both are corrupt entities.
I do believe that Israel will be understood more, if this doesn't pay off, but there's more than an even chance I'm just kidding myself here.
Sooner or later Israel is going to have to say, "To hell with everyone else, it's our future, and we'll to what's right for us from here on out."
To say this is the "Palestinian's" last chance is a vast understatement.
Nothing like good ole fashioned conservative values..
Fighting terrorism in Iraq
funding it in Israel
And leaving the borders open for terrorists 24/7
And being lobbied by their front groups
Maybe Frist and shrub can take a weekend vacation to the Texas ranch and scoop up some barnyard brains, but it does not seem to do the rancher much good.
It's all about the money.
Not cynical enough.
Every so often, I let someone talk me into giving the pubs or the judicial system another chance.
The correct answer is that we were sold out long ago, and while there are nominally two parties, they are both run with the same ultimate vision in mind.
There is only personal rivalries among the conspirators and no effort anywhere to move us back from the precipice we stand upon.
It will be THE EVIL in 08 with thirty something per cent of the vote after the third (maybe even fourth)party split.
Mena AR
With this years aid, about $1.3 billion, most of it since 2000 for about 3.6 million palestinians. That's exclusive of our funding for UNWRA, 30% of the budget, which varies year to year, but is generally upwards of $100 million.
Make those terrorists spend some of Arafat's Billions!
We've got better things to do w OUR money!
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