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Middle East
Paleo NGOs Say NO-GO to U.S. anti-terror terms for aid
2004-01-05
From World Tribune
The United States has failed to persuade Palestinian non-governmental organizations to sign a commitment that they will not aid groups deemed by the State Department as terrorist.
OK, that’s fair when we are throwing millions at them.
The result could jeopardize U.S. plans to transfer tens of millions of dollars to the Palestinian NGOs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during fiscal 2004.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. Tens of millions down a rathole, or tens of millions at home.....decisions, decisions.
Somehow I can't get worked up about my tax dollars not being donated to Yasser and Sheikh Yassin. Nope. Doesn't bother me at all...
Over the weekend, the NGOs reiterated their rejection of the terms set by the U.S. Agency for International Development for the receipt of U.S. aid. The terms were drafted after the Al Qaida suicide strikes on New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001 and presented to NGOs last year.
We look at things alot differently now than we did on 9-10-01.
"It is not clear on what basis and upon which criteria the definition of ’terrorist acts’ has been determined, especially in light of Israeli attempts to portray the struggle of the Palestinian people for freedom and independence as ’violent and terrorist acts,’" a statement by NGOs said. "Palestinian NGOs are developmental organizations that aid and empower Palestinian society through service-oriented activities and awareness raising, based on the principles of democracy, social justice, and respect for human rights."
Blah blah blah. Actions, not words. You have blown up too many busses and children for us to stomach.
The U.S. pledge, entitled "Certification Regarding Terrorist Financing," lists a range of commitments required from NGOs that operate in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They include a pledge that NGOs will not engage in activity with groups deemed as terrorist, such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Fatah-sponsored Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
And don’t forget the St. Pancake Brigade.
Raji Surani, director of the Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights, said the U.S. demands will divide Palestinian society.
Those that want to live and those that want to die.
He says that like it's a bad thing...
Surani said U.S. AID has demanded that NGOs provide no assistance to or engage in contact with Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti and Hamas’s Yusef Al Qiyadi, both of whom are in Israeli prisons.
Sounds reasonable to me...
On Monday, a coalition of NGOs was expected to announce plans for a campaign against the U.S. demands. The groups, included those linked to the Palestinian Authority, plan to lobby Washington to drop the AID conditions and hold protests throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Protest and be damned.
And who will be handling the lobbying effort on behalf of the Paleos?
Palestinian sources said the NGOs have been under pressure from Fatah and Hamas not to sign the U.S. commitment. Hamas is regarded as a leading funder of social programs in the PA areas.
The leaders of Hamas must be passing notes from under the matrasses.
Israel has sought to increase efforts to stop Palestinian insurgency financing but has failed to pass a law similar to the U.S. Patriot Act, which would grant the government wide authority to seize suspected insurgency assets. Last year, Israeli forces seized a large amount of money at the headquarters of PA Preventative Intelligence in Gaza City. On Sunday, the Cabinet decided to accept the recommendation of Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz that these funds will be used for what a government statement termed the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people. The statement said the funds will be added to the budget of Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, which oversees civilian projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Anything the Israelis do there will be destroyed by the boomers and their sympathizers. Maybe they should put it in an escrow account to be used after the Arafish floats to the top of his Ramallah aquarium. Geeze, this stuff makes me cynical. Like Fred sez, the Paleos never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. They have not got to the bottoming out stage yet.

The propaganda campaign is going to center around how the money's being taken from the mouths of the starving little Paleostinian children. The tactic is always to quibble over the definition of terrorism, to cast themselves as heroic freedumb fighters and... ummm... somebody else — usually the Israelis — as terrorists. Since money is still fungible, I'm against donating a nickle. Anything we spend to finance "service-oriented activities and awareness raising, based on the principles of democracy, social justice, and respect for human rights" frees up cash to be spent on arms and ammunition. And, just like terrorism, the definitions of all those things vary widely from the ways we'd use the terms. There's enough money already going to fund mosques and their attendant Yoot Centers, and there's enough money already going to fund "awareness raising." I think it'd be better spent on beer and pretzels.
Posted by:Alaska Paul

#6  The result could jeopardize U.S. plans to transfer tens of millions of dollars to the Palestinian NGOs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during fiscal 2004.

Excellent, excellent, excellent! Now if GWB would just have the balls to just not transfer the money anyway. It's practically a certainty that there's going to be further terror attacks against Israeli civilians regardless of what happens, so....
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-1-5 8:40:17 PM  

#5  the same assholes that lobby on behalf of the Soddys
Posted by: Frank G   2004-1-5 8:14:19 PM  

#4  "It is not clear on what basis and upon which criteria the definition of ’terrorist acts’ has been determined, especially in light of Israeli attempts to portray the struggle of the Palestinian people for freedom and independence as ’violent and terrorist acts,’" a statement by NGOs said.

Who the hell are these people? Democrats? Deliberately targetting and murdering innocent people is a terrorist act. P-E-R-I-O-D. No IF, ANDS or BUTS dammit.

This includes targetting and blowing up BUSSES and night clubs and other CIVILIAN TARGETs.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2004-1-5 7:44:32 PM  

#3  Gee oh my gosh! You mean you want to support terroism and not devolpment? Not on our dime brother!
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)   2004-1-5 7:10:42 PM  

#2   "...plan to lobby Washington"

Anyone want to bet that the same people who opposed funding Iraq rebuilding will now demand we give the Palestinians money condition-free?Anyone?
Posted by: Stephen   2004-1-5 6:59:36 PM  

#1  The United States has failed to persuade Palestinian non-governmental organizations to sign a commitment that they will not aid groups deemed by the State Department as terrorist.
Stat! Ethel! Stat!
Posted by: Shipman   2004-1-5 6:39:10 PM  

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