U.S. plans "substantial" pledge at Gaza meeting

[babylonsister]

Source: Reuters

U.S. plans "substantial" pledge at Gaza meeting

Sue Pleming
Reuters North American News Service

Feb 23, 2009 13:37 EST


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plans to announce a "substantial" pledge of U.S. aid for Gaza and the Palestinian Authority at a donors' meeting in Egypt next week, a State Department official said Monday.

The official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said the U.S. Congress still must approve the money and a final figure had not been set, but it could run into hundreds of millions of dollars.

"The United States will announce a substantial pledge of humanitarian assistance and support for the Palestinian Authority," said the official.

The March 2 donors conference in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh resort aims to raise humanitarian and rebuilding funds for Gaza after Israel's invasion at the end of last year, which killed 1,300 Palestinians.


Read more: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/02/us_plans_substantial_pledge_at_gaza_meeting.php

[LynnTheDem]

1. THAT is how to spread democracy.

And it's bloody cheaper and far more effective than illegal invasions & occupations.

[iandhr]

2. what about 8 years of Rocket attacks

no one cared that 1 million people in southern Israel had to live under rocket fire.

[LynnTheDem]

3. "no one cared"...

Oh yeah sure right uh huh.


:eyes:

[zogtheobvious]

4. I've been hesitant-

I've been hesitant to chime in on this debate because it is such a hot-button issue, and I am fully aware that I haven't researched the Israeli/Palestinian situation nearly as much as I should, but... and this is a question that I've had in my mind for quite some time...

...weren't the Palestinians there first?

[Zhade]

9. Yes. But both groups should be allowed to live there.

It's just a matter of not letting the Israeli government continue to steal Palestinian land.

[marzipanni]

5. We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world

-or to make it the last. - John F. Kennedy
http://michiganisraelobserver.com/winter-2006/live-together-or-die-together/

[babylonsister]

6. That's a heavy quote, and so applicable to today. Thanks. nt

[bemildred]

7. We pay to blow it up, and we pay to rebuild it.

What a deal.

[Zhade]

8. Good. Time to cease the one-sided support for Israel's rightwing government.

Especially since they murder innocent Palestinians, making them no better than terrorists who kill innocent Israelis.

You want peace, Obama? Don't enable the further theft of Palestinian lands.

[Alamuti Lotus]

10. This pledge is primarily for propping up the illegitimate Presidency of Abbas

This must be kept in mind, that is how things work.