Bush Plans to Give More to Palestinians

[shawn703]

President Bush plans to steer more money directly to the Palestinian Authority, congressional aides and a Bush administration official said Wednesday as Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas began three days of meetings with White House officials and congressional leaders.

Most U.S. aid to the Palestinians has previously gone to private relief organizations out of concerns about corruption under the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Abbas wants aid funneled to the authority, which he heads, as a show of U.S. confidence in his leadership, said Edward Abington, a retired U.S. diplomat who advises the Palestinians.

One of the aides said they expected Bush to announce that several tens of millions of dollars would go to the authority. The aide and the others spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not yet been made.



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