Obama signs waiver to lift Palestinian aid barrier
Source: AFP
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has signed a waiver to remove curbs on funding to the Palestinian Authority, declaring the aid to be "important to the security interests of the United States."
A $192 million aid package was frozen by the US Congress after the Palestinians moved to gain statehood at the United Nations last September.
But in a memo sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, published by the White House, the president said it was appropriate to release funds to the authority, which administers the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
In signing the waiver, Obama instructed Clinton to inform Congress of the move, on the grounds that "waiving such prohibition is important to the national security interests of the United States."
Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gTn323p-w8BJzR8bo9T-tD1jN78A?docId=CNG.ca8bef17738db813c03c40c8f4ba1ed3.321
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Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)DCKit
(18,541 posts)So much for spreading Democracy.
Oh, right. They hate us for our freedoms.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)
Lionessa
(3,894 posts)
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)I realize many consider them less than human, but....
oberliner
(58,724 posts)How did Obama "veto Democracy" ?
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)I take it you don't read the paper much or pay attention to UN related news.
In my circle his stance on this is common knowledge.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)A UN vote one way or another will do nothing to impact Palestinian democracy.
Obama has been working tireless to try to broker a real and lasting solution to the conflict and is committed to supporting an independent Palestinian state.
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)What you posted makes no sense at all.
The United States is interfering with an attempt of Palestine to achieve statehood through the United Nations (the path Israel took)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=X3jeqN8ROkE
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Not via UN declaration.
Obama has made it very clear that he supports an independent Palestinian state and has worked to bring Israeli and Palestinian leaders together to try to help make that happen.
Also, the United Nations attempts in the 1940s to deal with the issue were anything but successful and led to war which ultimately ended up leading to the creation of Israel as a state recognized by the UN.
Peace negotiations is the way to go here - Obama knows that and has wisely supported that path instead of unilateral moves on either side.
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)like Israel took.
Got it.
Israel gets to decide their fate, not the international community, you realize that really sucks don't you?
It is as if Israel had to ask permission of Germany first without benefit of the UN forum (they used the very avenue for statehood that the US is dictating Palestine may not).
It is wrong but that won't stop it from being the excuse used to take all the land and build camps to concentrate the Palestinians in, oh wait that has already begun, never mind the problem is being solved via attrition
oberliner
(58,724 posts)And, no, the "international community" doesn't get to decide anyone's fate. Israelis and Palestinians together do.
Permission from Germany? The benefit of the UN forum?
What exactly do you think happened in 1947?
mazzarro
(3,450 posts)Israel, US and EU should save the world the trouble of this pretend-negotiation and should rather openly annex the whole of Palestine. The current pathetic situation is appalling and it is geared toward forcing the Palestinians to self-deport themselves to other parts of the world. The UN and the Arab League have been some sorry-a** organizations when it comes to the issue of Palestine.
It is kind of strange that Saudi Arabia with its relation to the US cannot compel the US to be truly an impartial arbiter of the issues. It will not be any surprise to find that in the near future, the UN would be arranging the mass deportation of the Palestinians to some unfortunate country which would compelled to take them - thus problem solved for Israel and moved to another godforsaken people somewhere else.
I think Palestinians are basically condemned to their fate and I don't see anyone - including fellow Arabs, really and truthfully advocating on their behalf anytime soon.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Why not push for an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. I don't see why that is so hard to envision.
Snake Alchemist
(3,318 posts)That is their historic homeland.
Archae
(46,358 posts)You know why Arab countries don't give them a "homeland?"
Because the last time one did, (Jordan,) they tried taking that country over.
The Palestinian Authority is also so corrupt they stink on ice.
According to most estimates, more than half the aid sent to the PA gets stolen by their leadership.
This pattern was put into place by Arafat, and continues to this day.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Is there a way to do so without involving the PA?
Archae
(46,358 posts)No middleman.
Mr. and Mrs. Arafat didn't get rich by their good looks alone. The thugs on top always get first dibs on the cash. I'll be surprised if there's anything left for the "little people".
Archae
(46,358 posts)And this hasn't ended with Arafat's death.
The PA still steals most of the aid money and sells food to buy weapons.
