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Hamas assured of continued UAE aid for Palestinians
But... but I thought we were told they are our allies when they trying to buy our port management??The militant group Hamas said it was assured that the United Arab Emirates would continue to provide financial aid to the Palestinians under a Hamas-led government. A Hamas delegation led by political chief Khaled Meshaal was told during talks in Abu Dhabi that the oil-rich UAE would "go on providing financial aid to the Palestinian people and their Hamas-led government," delegation member Ezzat al-Reshq told AFP on Wednesday. Reshq said the Emirati side headed by Presidential Affairs Minister Sheikh Mansur bin Zayed al-Nahayan also promised to "continue to sponsor and support infrastructure projects in the occupied Palestinian territories." The UAE has funded housing projects in the territories, footing the bill for the reconstruction of some homes demolished by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip and in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Don't forget sponsoring the vets who nurtured injured baby duck and puppies back to health either The UAE's official WAM news agency said Sheikh Mansur also stressed the importance of continuing "political negotiations" to reach a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Hamas team is on a tour of the region to mobilize financial and political support to counter US-led moves to starve the Hamas-led government of funds after its upset election win in January. Oil-rich Saudi Arabia has also said it will carry on its financial support for the Palestinians. Does this mean he won't be getting kisses and holding hands in Texas anymore? But the European Union, which is the Palestinian Authority's main source of funding with some 600 million dollars annually in aid, has threatened to cut all assistance as soon as the Hamas government takes office. It has demanded that Hamas renounce violence, recognize Israel and respect former Israeli-Palestinian agreements as preconditions for continued aid. According to WAM, Sheikh Mansur said the UAE would continue to "respect the will of the Palestinian Arab people in determining their fate, identifying their options and choosing their government," and voiced Abu Dhabi's "trust and full support for the Palestinian Authority." But the Emirati minister also stressed "the importance of remaining on the course of political negotiations aimed at reaching a just and comprehensive peace in the region." Israel has vowed not to have dealings with a Hamas government, and to continue to funds collected on behalf of the Palestinians until the movement changes its stance. This double talk from our great allies representing the RoP is getting old. Guess the "you're with us or against us" was just a clever line for a speach with no real meaning behind it. Posted by: Elmush Unavimp7414 2006-03-22 |
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