UN calls for massive rise in Palestinian aid

[Violet_Crumble]

Chris McGreal in Jerusalem
Thursday June 1, 2006

The UN has appealed for a near doubling of emergency aid to the Palestinian territories to alleviate a crippling economic crisis after the freezing of foreign funds to the Hamas government and Israeli sanctions against the Palestinians. It has revised the amount it wants foreign governments to donate this year from $215m (£115m) to $385m to prevent the collapse of services such as health and education, and to provide food and medicines.
The appeal document said the UN had taken the unprecedented step of asking for more money because of the "extremely bleak" humanitarian outlook for the occupied territories that is "predicted to worsen dramatically in coming months". "We're seeing people cut back on food and basic expenses," said David Shearer, head of the UN's office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs. "The situation in Gaza is the most acute."

An existing economic crisis has been compounded by the freezing of about $1bn in foreign aid from the EU and US after the Hamas election victory in January, and Israel withholding taxes it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.

The UN said PA revenues had dropped by 75% from last year. It estimates that the economy will contract by 27% this year.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1787076,00.html

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Violet_Crumble]

2. And their own tax dollars?

What are you talking about? Their own as in Palestinian?

[applegrove]

3. Isn't Israel holding back some taxes dollars raised from palestinian

people?

[Tom Joad]

5. You are right there. Yes, Israelis are holding back Palestinian

tax dollars taken on their own behalf, and Jimmy Carter and many others are calling for it to be given to Palestinians so that their government institutions can continue to run.

[applegrove]

9. But do you not agree that the wealthy Saudi elites and wealthy Iranian

powerbrokers should be sending some funds over in the direction of Palestine that are not simply about terrorism, radical religious teaching.. and put in some infrastructure?

[Tom Joad]

4. A common understanding many of us here have is that

we do not attatch the "F word" to a nationality.

It does say much about the mindset of the poster, though.

[applegrove]

6. Yes it does.. I am Canadian and I am tired of wahabism and opec

dollars going to tribalism.. but none to school districts in the middle east. I am tired of the WH trying to copy the Saudi model of equality too. I used those words with care.

Oh - and in case you didn't catch it.. I am Canadian & they caught 17 of wahabi types with three tons of high grade fertilizer in Canada this week.

[Tom Joad]

7. In case you didn't catch this, the Canadian government is helping

Bush in his war against the people of Iraq. It is supporting the Bush model of militaristic extremism.

But i don't use the F word with Canada. I have respect for the diverse Canadian people, and do not judge a whole people on the basis of the actions of their government. Guess we are different that way, you and i.

[applegrove]

8. I said Saudis and Iran. I meant the government. And please.. Canadians

are in Afghanistan.. which was the place where bin Laden did attack from. And Canada stood down on going into Iraq. We are not involved.. except in trying to build a federal constitution. That isn't militarism.

Please don't imply I was criticizing anyone other than the Saudis and Iran.. and the powers that be in those places..that support terrorism and let the UN pay the bill for trying to rebuild.. one more time. Saudis & Iran don't do much in the way of capacity building in the middle east.. but do do much in the way of capacity building for increased tribalism.. which serves opec well and the very rich.

I think it is pretty obvious I didn't mean the average Saudi woman on the street was responsible for this.. or man... they cannot vote can they?

You choose to see me as painting all Saudis or Iranians with the same brush. I disagree entirely and it was obvious from my post(s).

Pretty hard for me to proove that with my original post deleted.