EU warns Hamas over Palestinian aid

[barb162]

EU warns Hamas over Palestinian aid


Friday 10 March 2006, 19:54 Makka Time, 16:54 GMT

The European Union has warned it would cut funding to a new Hamas-led Palestinian government if it failed to renounce violence and recognise Israel.

Speaking at a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the External Relations Commissioner, on Friday said the bloc had done more than any other foreign partner to support the caretaker Palestinian government.

The 25-nation EU has released 120 million euros for Palestinians since January elections in which the militant Islamic group swept to power, threatening to derail the Middle East peace process.

But the EU official noted that the bloc had set out conditions against which it would review funding once a new government was fully in place.

snip

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E36F5B83-F0B7-44...

[occuserpens]

1. Yepp, it does not look good

EU warns of no aid unless Hamas meets conditions http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/11/content_42...

[bemildred]

2. So far it all seems to be empty blather.

Hamas says "we won't recognize Israel and we won't be bound by past agreements and we will talk to anybody but Israel". EU says "we'll stop sending money if you don't recognize Israel and commit sepukku politically by giving up before negotiations start". Meanwhile Hamas is making the grand tour looking for other sources of funding. If they succeed, the western powers lose a lot of leverage. The outcome seems still in doubt, but the EU just looks ineffectual and bullshitty, and I will be really surprised if Iran is not willing to give Hamas some money.

[occuserpens]

3. Well, I/P is all about "empty blather"

What happens is that cold war gets worse and worse

[bemildred]

4. I don't know about "all", but certainly "largely".

As in "Well, I/P is largely about 'empty blather'"

[occuserpens]

7. True

[Wordie]

5. Yes, it would seem to me that recognition would be a *result* not a

pre-condition to negotiations. But then the EU stifled that report several months back that was highly critical of Israel in regard to the Wall and the occupation, so I guess maybe they just can't be relied upon any more than the US can to be an even-handed player. :sigh:

[bemildred]

6. It's a very dangerous and unsettled situation.

People do stupid things (even more stupid than usual) when they see they are losing control of the agenda. The western powers, including the US, Israel, and the EU are all in that situation now, thanks to the brilliant efforts of the Bushites. So far the responses seem to be in the nature of denial and wishful thinking, plus the usual sort of knee-jerk threats and attempts at intimidation. But that can't go on much longer, we'll either see things settle down or go completely off the deep end into hallucination and surrealism.