Congress should investigate U.S. funding of the Palestinian Authority
Reader comment on item: Emerson Exposes Radical Ties of State Department Outreach Partners

Submitted by Yael, Aug 2, 2008 09:09

According to the State Dept., the United States is "largest single state donor to the Palestinian Authority."

We have provided $562 million in total assistance in 2008, surpassing our pledged level of $555 million. This includes $264 million in project assistance through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL); $150 million in direct budget support - the largest single tranche for funds provided to the Palestinian Authority by a single donor country; and $148 million in contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The "international community" has contributed $920 million, of which the U.S. has paid 61% -- and that's only so far this year. There's also another BILLION dollars in signed "bilateral agreements" for development projects. What are the agreements? Where are they published?

As it was with Arafat, there seems to be no transparency whatsoever. What countries pledged how much and how much have they paid? And most important of all, WHERE DO THESE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS GO?

• The appointed PA Prime Minister, Finance Minister & Foreign Minister, Salam Fayyad, said April 5th, 2008: "There is no solution for the troubles in Gaza, or for the rockets being fired from it ... All we can do is transfer funds to the Gaza Strip."

• PA President Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) in Feb. this year stated that "HAMAS are our brothers and part of the Palestinian people."

• According to Rachel Ehrenfeld and Alyssa Lappen, the PA announced on Jan. 15th, 2008 its intentions to give HAMAS "40 percent" of the international aid received as a result of the Paris donor conference. At an Arab summit in Damascus, Abu Mazen said the PA transfers 58 percent to HAMAS in Gaza.

The Palestinian Authority should be included in any Congressional investigation of the role the State Department plays in funding foreign terrorists!

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