Taking a report seriously (Palestine aid and Hammas)

[WhiteTara]

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/article_1161625.php/Taking_a_report_seriously

Until there is justice in Palestine, there will be no peace in the Mideast

AMMAN, Jordan (UPI) -- When someone like the former World Bank chief and international Middle East peace envoy James Wolfensohn says the Western boycott of the Hamas-led government is a bad idea, his warning should be taken seriously, especially by the Quartet Committee when it meets in New York next week.

Just before resigning from his post as the Quartet`s special envoy to Israel and the Palestinian territories, Wolfensohn submitted a final report last week criticizing the U.S. and European aid cut to the elected Hamas government, saying it will lead to the collapse of Palestinian Authority institutions the international community has helped to build up in the past 12 years to prepare for a viable Palestinian state.

'Over the past few years, the international community has spent about $1 billion annually on assistance to the Palestinians, much of it directed at ensuring that credible and well-functioning Palestinian institutions are built,' Wolfensohn`s report said. 'Will we now simply abandon these goals?'

The Quartet Committee -- made up of the United States, Russia, European Union and the U.N. -- was formed to mediate a peaceful Palestinian-Israeli settlement and drafted a now-frozen 'road map' envisioning a two-state solution.

snip

Squeezing the Palestinian population, accompanied by continued Israeli strikes and assassinations while Hamas has so far managed to maintain a unilateral ceasefire, is making Hamas more popular at home and the Islamic movement may fare even better in another election.

[Burning Water]

1. Is this in the right forum?

[AlamoDemoc]

2. Excellent article...K & R

[AlamoDemoc]

3. Kick!

:kick:

[Phx_Dem]

4. What to do?

"One way is to find a mechanism to stop punishing the people for their democratic choice and encourage, rather than pressure, the Hamas-led government to renounce violence and recognize Israel."

Wolfensohn says Israel and the quartet should "encourage" Hamas to accept Israels existence and renounce violence. A little naive IMO.

[Tom Joad]

5. Where is the demand that Israel renounce violence?

I keep missing that.

For that matter, where is the demand that the United States renounce violence?