Color me very surprised: The EU has stopped payments to the PA — for now.
European Commission spokeswoman Emma Udwin said some $36.9 million marked for release later this year was at stake. She added that the temporary aid cut-off would not affect humanitarian aid sent to non-governmental organizations or to U.N. relief agencies.
“For the time being there are no payments to or through the Palestinian authority,” she said.
The decision affects aid coming from the EU general budget, not individual European countries. EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss Monday how European countries should deal with aid in the long-term.
It’s a start. Because in spite of stories that claim Hamas is “hinting” that they’re ready to recognize Israel (just read the weasel words and the conditions and you will see that is a lie), Hamas’ goal, as it has always been, is the destruction of the state of Israel and its replacement with an Islamic one.
Those EU observers at Rafah are *so* dead.
Comment by Laurence Simon — 04/07/2006 @ 9:48 am
No direct aid to the PA from the EU
Have no fear, they’re already trying to figure out a way to turn the spiggot back on. Meryl reports: The EU suspends direct aid to the PA…
Trackback by Solomonia — 04/07/2006 @ 4:12 pm
Yesterday, it was reported, “US freezes aid to Palestinian government.”
If only, look closely at the statement from the State Department – “while increasing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians through U.N. agencies.”
Thursday, Abdul had to worry about beans OR bullets. Thanks to those compassionate conservatives, now he only has to worry about bullets. Sweet.
How clever was this of Dr. Rice, and on a Friday afternoon. Not just another pretty face.
Comment by allen — 04/09/2006 @ 12:26 am