Looks like the EU grew some balls and decided to stop giving Hamas free money.  They were just talking about it on Fox News.  So of course they are rioting and commiting acts of violence as is protocol.



EU set to endorse freeze on aid to Hamas-led PA gov't

European Union foreign ministers were expected to give firm backing Monday to a freeze on EU aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government, but stressed they would seek alternative ways of providing money for humanitarian projects.

EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said Europe continues to "stand by the Palestinian people." It will continue to provide money for electricity, food, education and other projects, so "their basic human needs will be met in the future," she added.

Ferrero-Waldner reiterated that if the new Palestinian leadership wants all aid resumed, Hamas must "renounce violence, recognize the existence of Israel and also stand by the agreements" previous Palestinian governments have signed with Israel.

In a draft of a statement to be issued later Monday, the EU said it "noted with grave concern that the program of the new Palestinian government does not contain a clear commitment to (these) three principles."

Hamas, which won January's Palestinian legislative elections, is on the EU's list of terrorist organizations, a designation that bars EU officials from any dealings with the group.

But officials said humanitarian aid could continue to reach the Palestinian people through international organizations and bypass the Palestinian Authority.

The EU's executive Commission last Friday suspended direct aid - crucial budgetary funding typically used for road-building and other infrastructure projects and to meet the Palestinian Authority's payroll.

"It is right we attach consequences to the fact the Palestinian government is not responding to our expectations" that it commit to peace with Israel, said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Monday the EU had "responsibilities not to see the Palestinian people suffer."

"But so, too, does the Hamas government," Straw said, "because democracy carries with it responsibilities ... not to go in for violence as a way of resolving arguments.

Aid to the Palestinians from the EU and its 25 member nations usually totals around €500 million (US$615 million) a year. Funds that have been suspended amount to about half of that, while the remainder comes from bilateral programs between governments.

But several EU nations, including Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands, have frozen their bilateral aid to the new Palestinian government. More may follow suit.

The United States, Canada and non-EU member Norway have also cut off payments. Hamas has condemned the suspension of aid as unfair, but has not tempered its radical ideology.

The cut in foreign aid comes on top of a decision by Israel to withhold some $50 million a month in tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinians.

In their draft statement, the EU foreign ministers also urged Israel "to desist from any action that is contrary to international law." That amounts to a clear plea for Israel to abandon its plan to unilaterally withdraw from parts of the West Bank, which would in effect draw its border with the territory without negotiations.

The EU decision to freeze payments to the Palestinian government affects an immediate installment of €30 million (US$36.5 million) and has compounded an already dire financial situation for the Palestinian government.

The annual Palestinian budget is about US$1.9 billion (€1.6 billion). The US$1.3 billion in foreign aid last year accounted for 32 percent of Palestinian gross domestic product, making Palestinians the biggest per capita recipients of foreign aid in the world.

Now when are WE going to grow some balls on foreign aid issues...

www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1143498833175&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

We should keep giving all of our hard earned taken tax money.  Look at all the good will this money has bought us from the Palis.

I heard a radio report over the weekend the U.S. is suspending all payments to the Palis including unfinished projects.

Quoted: I heard a radio report over the weekend the U.S. is suspending all payments to the Palis including unfinished projects.

Correct.

If y'all want to really get angry google the aid terms of the Camp David Accords.


Carter really tried to hose the US over...  The stupid way our aid money gets spent in the middle east is just part of that.

Quoted: Quoted: I heard a radio report over the weekend the U.S. is suspending all payments to the Palis including unfinished projects. Correct.

IIRC it amounts to 411 million being held back by the U.S.

That's a good start then, I hadn't heard that.

Hamas has "chapters" (don't know what else to call them) in just about every major American city that probably send them bajillions of dollars too.

(Exaggerating about the bajillions, but it's true, they're right here in the US...)

I read an article in yesterday's newspaper where Condileza Rice announced that U.S. aid is being halted unless Hamas agrees to support all past and present agreements with Israel and/or a new government came to power in Palestine. That article is probably online somewhere.

What really blew my socks off was how many TENS OF MILLIONS, even hundreds of millions of dollars we are contributing to the palestinian government.

The article said that close to one third the population of Palestine is employed by their government, and we fund most of that.

I could not believe how much money we are sending to those idiots.