EU suspends 35 million euros in aid to the Palestinian Authority (sites lack of budgetary discipline

Haaretz ^ | 1-17-06

[warpcorebreach]

The European Union has suspended 35 million euros ($42 million) in aid to the Palestinians, citing their lack of budgetary discipline, the EU's commissioner for external relations said on Tuesday.

The rare sanction underscored intensified foreign donor scrutiny on the Palestinian Authority since Israel quit the Gaza Strip last year after 38 years of occupation. The impoverished territory is widely seen as a testing ground for statehood.

Visiting the region ahead of Palestinian legislative

[warpcorebreach]

They actually did something right? What is this tightening in my chest? My left arm is numb!!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The jig is up.

[sofaman]

that'll change in a heartbeat. They didn't stop sending money to the Pallies even after they caught Arafat with his hand in the cookie jar to the tune of $5 million...

[Roverman2K]

No, I do not think so, they will not cut them slack like they did Arafat, not sure why but not anymore

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.
Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking the keyword Israel.

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$50 million, they know where to get it.

[glorgau]

"sites" should be "cites"

[dervish]

"Visiting the region ahead of Palestinian legislative elections on Jan. 25, the EU commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said half of 70 million euros ($84 million) donated through the World Bank in November has not been
released, and that the issue was under discussion. "

And why hasn't the World Bank released the funds? Which Pres Bush appointee is now head of the World Bank?

[familyop]

The EU suspended the "aid," because someone in our US Government said that we would stop funding Hamas. The EU does not want to continue giving money--even to its terrorist allies--unless we are giving more. Hamas candidates are obviously the "Palestinian" favorite in the elections for "Palestine". It's illegal for the USA to fund Hamas, because it's on our list as a terrorist organization.

So where will the "road map" to western Europe's heart go now?

President Bush Calls for New Palestinian Leadership
The Rose Garden
June 24, 2002
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/06/20020624-3.html
"The United States, the international donor community and the World Bank stand ready to work with Palestinians on a major project of economic reform and development. The United States, the EU, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund are willing to oversee reforms in Palestinian finances, encouraging transparency and independent auditing."

Quartet Joint Statement
Summary
July 16, 2002: Text of a joint statement issued by the "Quartet" (United Nations, Russian Federation, the United States and the European Union) following their meeting in New York
[Document behind the link.]
http://europa-eu-un.org/articles/sk/article_1489_sk.htm
"The new international Task Force on Reform, which is comprised of representatives of the U.S., EU, UN Secretary General, Russia, Japan, Norway, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and which works under the auspices of the Quartet, will strive to develop and implement a comprehensive action plan for reform."

The majority in western Europe will hate us regardless of how many terrorist enemies we aid, comfort and arm against better allies for them.

And BTW, when will our Embassy in Israel be moved from Tel Aviv to the capital of Israel?

[definitelynotaliberal]

I'm with sofaman. They'll turn around. This charade is for our benefit. The Europeans have always been amenable to offering up their mothers to be sodomized by the Arabs for a barrell or 2 of petroleum. They did it in the 6-day war with Israel. They not only refused to come to the aid of the fledgling state, they also refused to let OUR military aircraft refuel at OUR airforce bases. They call it pacifism. They let the Black September killers go free. Pacifism. They lost Abu Nidal of the Achille Lauro debacle. Pacifism. They just not only released the Arab who killed our Navy diver and flung him off a plane onto a tarmac, they also flew him to his native Lebanon. Pacifism strikes again.

This charade is for us because we have a cowboy President who appoints other cowboys - case in point, US Trade Secretary. Oh, with their economies in rapid decline, they most certainly do not want that man's attention trained on them. And that, I believe, is what this puttaneria is all about.

[definitelynotaliberal]

My Holy God! I had totally forgotten the Wolfowitz factor! Good job, dervish!

[mississippi red-neck]

They are saving to give to Hamas when they take over.

They know if the PLO lose big in the election that the losers will grab every dollar they can get before they leave.

[JasonC]

Mass murder for decades, no problem. Stiffing us on our kickbacks, that's intolerable.

[VOA]

EU suspends 35 million euros in aid to the Palestinian Authority
(sites lack of budgetary discipline

translation: We don't mind you Palestinians blowing up innocent
Israelis and killing decent Palestinians...
but be fiscally responsible while you're doing it!
Signed, The EU

[dervish]

Thanks.

Wolfensohn went to Gaza and Wolfowitz went to the World Bank. Some ironies there.

[SupplySider]

I don't think the PA lacks budgetary discipline. They carefully disburse almost all the funds to their private accounts, and to those of their friends, relatives, and supporters. I'd call them a model of efficiency.