Europeans Suggest Directing Aid to Abbas, NY Times, 2/24/2006

[Coastie for Truth]

The European Union is considering making direct payments to the moderate Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, as a way of supporting him while trying to maintain financial pressure on Hamas, the antiIsraeli militant group that swept to power in elections last month.

The idea was raised this week by the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, after a conference call with other members of the so-called Quartet — the United States, Russia and the United Nations — that has been promoting peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians.

"We have to have a mechanism of financial support to President Abbas," Mr. Solana said. "We have to find a way to finance him and his structures because of his responsibilities as president of the Palestinian Authority and as the primary interlocutor with the international community."

If accepted by fellow Quartet members, the channeling of payments directly to Mr. Abbas would be a reversal in policy, which until now has focused on strengthening Palestinian government institutions in preparation for an eventual Palestinian state.

<<<SNIP>>>

[Wordie]

1. EU prepared to give cash lifeline to Palestine Authority (Financial Times)

Excellent news!

EU prepared to give cash lifeline to Palestine Authority
By Daniel Dombey in Brussels
Published: February 25 2006 02:00 | Last updated: February 25 2006 02:00

The European Union is ready to throw a lifeline to the Palestinian Authority by authorising a cash injection to the territory - despite the Palestinians' failure to meet all the conditions for a resumption in aid.

Both Brussels and member states such as Britain and France are eager to see funds flowing to the PA before the new Palestinian administration - dominated by the militant Islamist group Hamas - takes office at the end of March.

The new funding, which could be up to €100m (£68m, $119m), would include money for Palestinians "basic needs", such as maintaining electricity services as well as direct PA funding.

...EU diplomats say their stance is in line with their policy, agreed with the US, Russia, and the United Nations to "facilitate the work of the caretaker government to stabilise public finances".

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e0c07438-a5a3-11da-bf34-0000779e2340.html

The article said that the EU's external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, will advise EU foreign ministers at their meeting on Monday that some of the Palestinian aid should be unblocked, on the basis that the PA had made some progress in reaching benchmarks. It also mentioned that other donor's accompanying funds would also be unblocked.

[bemildred]

2. Money is about leverage. No money, no leverage.

So they want to give some money to Abbas so they keep some leverage. Giving money to Hamas would not be politically acceptable, at least not yet.

[Wordie]

3. That very well may be; it's still a very good thing for the Palestinians.

That money is sorely needed. It's also better that the EU have that leverage, rather than, say, the Iranians, imho. The dummies in the Bush admin should take a lesson.

[bemildred]

4. Probably best to keep Iran out of it, true.

But it may be too late on that.

[Wordie]

5. Gee, who's ultimately responsible for that?

[Coastie for Truth]

6. We started screwing up Iran in 1917

when the Brits redrew the map of the ME for their own short term imperialistic, colonialistic, militaristic reasons; and made it worse when we intervened with the Brits to depose Mohamed Mossadegh (to protect the UK's investment in the AIOC) - another military action for oil.

[bemildred]

7. I was talking about the present situation.

I am aware of the history, but I was talking about not putting the PNA in the situation of having to accept more aid from Iran, seeing as how Iran is not likely to be a good influence in the present situation.

[Scurrilous]

8. PA: U.S. envoy promised aid to continue

Chief Palestinian negotiator Erekat says senior State Department official David Welch told him during their Ramallah meeting that Washington would not freeze aid to Palestinians, but would only redirect it

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3220830,00.html

<snip>

"Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Saturday that senior U.S. State Department official David Welch promised him that Washington would not freeze aid to the Palestinians, but would only redirect it.

Erekat spoke following a meeting between the two in Ramallah, the first between senior U.S. and PA representatives since Hamas’ victory in the Palestinian elections, according to the Associated Press.

“We urged the U.S. Administration to continue helping the Palestinian people, as it did in previous years,” Erekat said after the meeting. “They have never transferred a single dollar to the Palestinian Authority directly. The money was being transferred via non-governmental organizations.”

Welch declined to speak to reporters."

[Englander]

9. EU to fill Palestinian funds gap

Europe will give 120m euros ($140m; £83m) to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority to meet people's basic needs.

The European Commission says the money will be enough to keep the authority running for a couple of months.

This follows intense discussion by the international community on whether to continue funding the authority when the militant Hamas group takes power.

The PA has already lost $50m of its funds a month, after Israel blocked tax and duty payments in protest.

About 64m euros will go through UN agencies to the poorest in the Palestinian territories, the Commission says.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4754580.stm

[Scurrilous]

10. Good news!

:thumbsup: