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| Israel-Palestine |
| Japan throws $2.5 mil down PA rathole for Courthouse |
| 2004-03-10 |
| From Geostrategy-Direct... Here’s an example of Western generosity in the Middle East that is too ridiculous to believe. Japan has donated $2.5 million to the Palestinian Authority to construct its first courthouse in the West Bank. Why? The donation appears commendable until one realizes that the PA’s judicial system would make Saddam Hussein proud. Yasser Arafat has ignored the decision of Palestinian judges and his Fatah thugs have burst into courtrooms and killed defendants during trials. The UN Office of the Special Coordinator in the Occupied Territories confirmed in a study that even after an investment of more than $100 million, little if anything changed in the PA justice system. Good money after bad. Even the UN agrees. That means that it is reallyreallyreally BAD! But giving money to Arafat’s regime demonstrates political support for the Palestinians and is meant to curry favor by Western states with Saudi Arabia and Gulf Arab countries. So the $2.5 mil is for bakeesh, chump change for keeping Saudi Arabia and the rest of the oil producers happily connected to the Japanese oil consumer. At the Nablus courthouse inauguration was Mayor Bassam Shaka’a, who intoned that the PA, despite great difficulties, was trying to uphold the rule of law and build competent judicial institutions. I will agree with Mayor Shaka’a on the difficulties.... What Shaka’a didn’t say was that he has submitted his resignation to Arafat because his city has been taken over by Fatah gangs, including those who killed his brother. PA police have refused to arrest the killers and Arafat hasn’t intervened. The Mayor’s acceptance speech: "Thank you, Japan, for this wonderful courthouse. We have had many difficulties, one of which is that the town is taken over by brigands who seem to be pals with the Arafish er, President Arafat. So, in closing, it is my fervent hope that this fine courthouse will one day serve its people as a true court before it gets all shot to hell, er someday. *hey, let go of me. Hey! Mmff! Grrg!* |
| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #4 A-Ha! Looks like they've found their new saps? Putting a courthouse in there is like putting in crossing guards at the Daytona 500. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-3-10 10:14:51 PM |
| #3 Geez! When I first glanced at the article title I thought it said "P.A. Outhouse"! (and really, can you blame me?) |
| Posted by: Hyper 2004-3-10 8:05:48 PM |
| #2 They're the inscrutable part. |
| Posted by: Fred 2004-3-10 7:30:28 PM |
| #1 Japan is part of the "west"? Must be talkin' culture-war stuff, huh? |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-3-10 5:36:50 PM |