A modest suggestion concerning the promised aid to Gaza

[MadHound]

As you may or may not know, Hillary is set to offer $900,000,000 in aid to Gaza next week. None of this aid is going to go to Hamas, but rather will be distributed through the auspices of the UN and the Palestinian Authority.

Now if you're like I am, you're having a bit of a conflict. On the one hand you want to see the US help out the Palestinian people, yet on the other hand you're thinking "My God, 900 million dollars, we can't afford that!"

To resolve this, I propose that we take this aid money, and any further aid that we give to the Palestinian people out of the amount that we give Israel each year. Thus, we won't go further into debt, and perhaps Israel will learn that there are at least some consequences for their actions.

What do you think?

[Fovea]

1. I think there is some merit to that idea

but also drawbacks.

It seems like a rubicon we need to discuss, before loadng the boats.

[MadHound]

2. What sort of drawbacks?

Besides, that's what we're here for, discussion:shrug:

[Fovea]

5. The main drawback

in my thinking is that it re-enforces the idea that the relationship between Israel and Palestine is a zero sum game.

Yeah, that sounds kinda abstruse, but I believe that perception is a key mental block to peaceful coexistence.

I would like, if we did that, to say that it was part of a permanent fundamental shift in our political stance in the middle east
towards being an honest broker with minimal interests in specific nations.

And I am sorry to confuse, but what I meant by discussion was not so much here at DU, where I expect it, but at State, where I do not.
It presupposes near energy independence, for one thing.

[Grey]

3. A really good idea....

[harun]

4. It would be courageous for them to do this but politically very difficult

AIPAC would slaughter the supporters of it, to try and teach them a lesson.