Remarks by President Obama and President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority after Meeting

Whitehouse.gov ^ | June 9, 2010 | n/a

[Cindy]

NOTE The following text is a quote:

www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-us-assistance-west-bank-and-gaza

Home • Briefing Room • Statements & Releases

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release June 09, 2010
Fact Sheet on U.S. Assistance to the West Bank and Gaza

Today, the President announced that the United States will move forward with approximately $400 million in initiatives and commitments for the West Bank and Gaza that will help increase access to clean drinking water, create jobs, build schools, expand the availability of affordable housing, and address critical health and infrastructure needs. These initiatives result directly from the advocacy and guidance of President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, whose leadership is making a difference for the Palestinian people, in Gaza as well as the West Bank.

The President has described the situation in Gaza as unsustainable, and it demands a significant change of strategy. While we work with our partners in the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Egypt, and the international community to put such a strategy in place, these projects represent a down payment on the United States’ commitment to Palestinians in Gaza, who deserve a better life and expanded opportunities, and the chance to take part in building a viable, independent state of Palestine, together with those who live in the West Bank. The projects announced today include:

• A $240 million investment by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in the AMAL mortgage finance program in the West Bank, which is designed to increase homeownership by offering long-term mortgages at fixed- and variable rates.

• $75 million in funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support the Palestinian Authority’s work to improve infrastructure throughout the West Bank and Gaza.

• $10 million in USAID-funded activities aimed at enhancing the Palestinian private sector’s competitiveness.

• $40 million to support UNRWA’s Emergency Appeal for Gaza and the West Bank, which will help improve educational and health services, increase job creation, and repair shelters in Gaza, while also addressing core humanitarian needs in the West Bank.

• $14.5 million in USAID projects for school rehabilitation, small-scale agriculture, the repair of a hospital facility and other community infrastructure in Gaza.

• $10 million for the construction of five new UNRWA schools in Gaza.

• $5 million to start nine USAID-funded projects to repair water distribution and wastewater collection systems in Gaza.

[Cindy]

The president mentioned the flotillas.
You can find more info about that here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2531301/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2529207/posts

#

The president mentioned UN and Iran.
You can find more information about that here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2530932/posts

[Cindy]

The president mentioned Hamas.

You can find more information about Hamas here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/hamas/index

[Cindy]

The president mentioned the United Nations.

You can find more information about the UN here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/un/index

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/unitednations/index

[RetroSexual]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvorqcgcdtw

[Liberal Bob]

In the meantime, the United States -- which is already the biggest humanitarian aid donor in Gaza -- is going to be announcing an additional $400 million in assistance for housing, school construction, business development -- not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, because we think it’s important for us to reaffirm once again our commitment to improving the day-to-day lives of ordinary Palestinians.

Makes you wonder just how much of that $400 million is going to be used for destructive purposes of Israel housing, Israel schools, and Israel's businesses.

[PghBaldy]

He called it a tragedy three times. If that is not prejudging what happened before an investigation, I don;'t know what is.

[Cindy]

The president mentioned Egypt.

You can find more information about Egypt here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/egypt/index

[ColdOne]

I'm I reading this correctly? He wants to give them all home ownership???? A $240 million investment by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in the AMAL mortgage finance program in the West Bank, which is designed to increase homeownership by offering long-term mortgages at fixed- and variable rates.

[FlyingEagle]

What Abbas heard in translation: Blah blah blah blah $400 million dollars blah blah blah.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/humanitarianaid/index

###

Quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2525576/posts

Violence and Humanitarian Aid
INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT - IPT News ^ | June 1, 2010 | n/a
Posted on June 1, 2010 3:39:00 PM PDT by Cindy

SNIPPET: “Condemnations of Israel’s commando raid on the flotilla trying to break a blockade on Gaza are pouring in after 10 people were reported killed in the violence at sea early Monday.

Egypt announced Tuesday that it would open its border with Gaza, which Reuters describes as “a major boost for Hamas and a blow to efforts by Israel and its Western allies to cripple the Islamists.” Turkey is threatening to send more ships, escorted by its own navy, while there are fears Hizballah will use the incident to justify a new wave of rocket attacks toward Israel.

Was it, as some suggest, the plan of flotilla organizers all along?

It’s worth remembering why the aid was being transported by sea in the first place. A convoy led by then-British MP George Galloway ended in violence at the Egyptian-Gaza border in early January after authorities delayed their entry into Gaza.

An Egyptian police officer was shot and killed by Hamas gunmen. Egypt deported Galloway, made it clear he was unwelcome there again, and told the convoy it could no longer enter through its crossing. Galloway’s partner in that convoy was the Turkish-based International Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), which helped lead the flotilla.

IHH was a key player in the Free Gaza Movement flotilla. Israeli officials say IHH is tied to Hamas, and even to al Qaeda, and it was banned in Israel in 2008 for being “part of Hamas’s fundraising network.” Court papers in the U.S. prosecution of Abdurahman Alamoudi also tie it to terrorist activity, citing French intelligence expert Jean Louis-Bruguiere’s assessment that IHH played “[a]n important role” in the Millennium bomb plot.

IHH also is part of the Union of Good, a collection of charities run by Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yusuf al-Qaradawi. The union was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2008 as a terrorist entity due to its fund-raising activities on behalf of Hamas and Hamas-controlled organizations in the West Bank and Gaza.”

Read More here: http://www.investigativeproject.org/1982/violence-and-humanitarian-aid

###

stepping back in time...

Quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2163368/posts

HAMAS MISSILES FOR ISRAELI FOOD
IsraelMFA via YouTube.com ^ | Added to YouTube.com December 12, 2009 | n/a
Posted on January 12, 2009 1:38:28 PM PST by Cindy

“HAMAS MISSILES FOR ISRAELI FOOD” (Added January 12, 2009)

VIDEO DESCRIPTION - QUOTE:

IsraelMFA January 12, 2009

Israel gives food, medicine and electricity to Gaza citizens and gets rockets in return.

Category: News & Politics Tags: Israel Hamas war rockets missile humanitarian aid children shield Gaza

[Cindy]

The president mentioned Turkey.

More information available here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/turkey/index

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/ihh/index

[Zeppo]

And it seems to us that there should be ways of focusing narrowly on arms shipments, rather than focusing in a blanket way on stopping everything and then in a piecemeal way allowing things into Gaza.

Is Obama really that stupid? (rhetorical question only)

[mcshot]

Are we sending the slobber mouth over to run the program? No need to answer as I might be a homo-racist.

[snowsislander]

In the meantime, the United States -- which is already the biggest humanitarian aid donor in Gaza -- is going to be announcing an additional $400 million in assistance for housing, school construction, business development -- not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, because we think it’s important for us to reaffirm once again our commitment to improving the day-to-day lives of ordinary Palestinians.

The Kenyan Clown certainly is free-handed with our tax dollars!

The CIA lists the population of Gaza as 1,604,238, and the population for the West Bank as 2,514,845 (assuming that we aren't double-counting here; the CIA's website unfortunately isn't as clear about "who is counted where" as I would like.) That means that we are going to be sending $400 million to roughly 4 million people, or just about $100 per head.

Considering that the average income is maybe around $1,500 (the CIA doesn't list average income, just a "GDP per capita (PPP)" of $2,900 with an apparent PPP conversion factor about 2, so take this with a huge grain of salt, my guess is that average income is actually under $1,000), so this is roughly giving each person there another 6%-10% of their annual income.

Of course, none of this money will actually go to any ordinary folks; the prevalent corruption will make certain that it all goes into a few pockets.

[massmike]

save for later

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

Sounds like it was a fun meeting. Couldn't Abbas stay for a festival?

[SJackson]

If I have a chance I’ll look it up, but I believe household income in the West Bank is in the area of $1,600, maybe higher given the expansion the last year or so. Gaza, around $900. Both numbers significantly lower in real, not adjusted, terms since the Oslo process began.

[SJackson]

Should have also mentioned that the numbers are hard to come by and highly questionable from the perspective of decision making since such a high percentage, over 50% in Gaza, comes from aid. BHO may have just created an on paper “boom” in Gaza, which means nothing to anyone other than those handling the wire transfers.