Why USA Must Stop USA Aid to Palestinian Authority

Nadene Goldfoot

The Palestinian Authority gets  annual aid grant from the USA to the tune of $440 million dollar aid package.  

                                              

Since they established a limited self-rule in Judea-Samaria and Gaza Strip in the mid-1990s, the USA government has committed  $4 -$5 billion in bilateral assistance to these Palestinians.  They are one of the world's largest per capita recipients of international foreign aid.  Administrations since then have asked for aid for them to support at least 3 major USA policy priorities of interest to Congress.

From June 2007 to June 2014, the Palestinians have been receiving aid,  but Obama's government split it finally between Fatah and Hamas.  Evidently Hamas has been getting aid even though they are listed as terrorists.  Since when do we supply terrorists with aid?  Aid to attack Israel?
                                                                     

1. Prevent terrorism against Israel from Hamas and other militant organizations.
2. Create a cycle of stability and prosperity in Judea-Samaria so that people in both places will be inclined towards peaceful coexistence with Israel and prepare them for self-governance.
3. Meet humanitarian needs, prevent further destabilization, especially in Gaza.

None of these objectives have been met.  Some USA lawmakers took action in August 2011 to delay the finances since the Palestinians seek more international support for statehood outside of negotiations with Israel.  Agreements since May 2011 between Fatah and Hamas raise concerns.  Hamas is a UN-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization that claims to reserve the right to violently oppose Israel's existence.
                                                                         

Hamas used UNRWA gear in building their tunnels

 
Since 2008 to the present, annual US bilateral aid to Judea-Samaria and Gaza has averaged over $600 million including $200 million in direct aid and over $100 million in non-lethal security aid for the PA.  The USA is the largest donor to UNRWA who are in Hamas controlled Gaza.
                                                                           

Hamas Terrorists

Funds can be diverted to Palestinian terrorist groups.  Other international donors are on the list.  USA policymakers routinely call for greater or more timely assistance from Arab governments who have pledged aid.  Lack of legitimate and peaceful 2-state solutions and just giving money undermines the Palestinians to become stable or self-reliant.  They've used their money  for something else in that they haven't even paid Israel for their utility bill and are always so in arrears that Israel has to take their tax money as collateral.  Is the money going for tunnels, mortars, rockets and missiles for Hamas?  Or is it going into someone's pockets as it also does in Gaza.  Reports have come out there of the millionaires being created from the tunnels.

$37 billion USA dollars goes to foreign aid.  This is only 1% of the total federal budget and amounts to $23 billion without the military aid money.  Israel doesn't get this aid now, but they do get military aid finances.
                                                                         

Now the situation is much worse for Israel.  The Palestinians are in the act of joining the International Criminal Court (ICC) to pursue war-crimes charges against Israel.  Even State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that "they are deeply troubled by the Palestinian action which is entirely counterproductive and does nothing to further the aspirations of the Palestinian people for its sovereign independent state.  It badly damages the atmosphere with the very people with whom they ultimately need to make peace.  

The Palestinian decision to join the ICC came almost immediately with the UN Security Council's rejection of a resolution that would have called for Israeli withdrawal from Judea-Samaria and Jerusalem by 2017.  At the ICC the Palestinians will be able to bring war-crime charges against each Israeli they wish which certainly would cause them to move further away from a negotiated settlement with Israel.  It's just another effort to put pressure on Israel and try to get more concessions out of Israel.
                                                                              

The defeated resolution was impossible to fathom for the following reasons:
1. Israel would have to rely on the UN for security.
     (I note that already the USA consulate plans to arm  their Palestinian guards which is against Israeli law.)  The plan is a breach of a 2011 agreement between the consulate and the Israeli government, which determined that only former IDF combat soldiers hired by the consulate would be allowed to carry weapons.  

US Consulate in West Jerusalem

2. None of Israel's security needs will be given any credence-(just like at the consulate right now.)  
3. Israel would not be able to keep territory in order to keep defensible borders.
4. Palestine would be able to have arms-wouldn't be demilitarized.
5. NO IDF presence in the Jordan Valley
6. Borders would be like the 1947 armistice lines with only the most minor land swaps.
7. Be able to sue individual Israelis for War Crimes when Hamas are the ones to attack Israel-and IDF has been the most careful of all armies in trying to keep civilians from harm's way-and PALESTINIANS put them IN HARMS WAY.  
                                                                             

Israelis in Katusha  Rocket Range; 9 miles from Netanya to Judea-Samaria, 11 miles from Tel Aviv

Israel has Hamas next door in Gaza and now in Judea-Samaria being they unified.  Hamas could attack Israel with missiles as they did which brought about Operation Defensive Edge and then also hit the PA.  Hizbullah is in the neighborhood.  Iran is moving towards having nuclear weapons capacity. Israel's security and defense needs are humongous in a world already down on Israel who can't even support her verbally.  

As it is, the Palestinians find no reason to have to negotiate in good faith or make any concessions from the wild demands they make.  
                                                                          

What Israel needs is a strong voice against the Palestinians that can tell them of their support for Israel and to stop imposing their ridiculous solutions on Israel.  The first thing they need to release is their Hamas Charter for one of peace.  As the headline of a Times editorial said, this is a Palestinian desperation move.  

They went on to say that "we reject the notion that there is some presumptive legitimacy to the Palestinians all or nothing demands. Mahmoud Abbas may think he can get his way by going to his friends at the UN.  By words and by deeds, the USA needs to persuade him that he is on  the wrong track.

In the meantime, don't keep giving them money.  Money speaks louder than words, and it's time to withdraw aid in order to show displeasure over their acts.  They're only being rewarded for them.  

"Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., is  the author of 2006 legislation that bars taxpayer support for a "Hamas-controlled Palestinian Authority," House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., expressed similar views.

"While the ‘unity government’ hides behind the facade of nonpartisan bureaucrats, it was only born out of support from Hamas — a terrorist organization that continues to call for Israel’s annihilation," he said in a statement. "Hamas is no partner for peace; nor a legitimate recipient of aid."

"Although we do not believe the US should immediately end all funding to the Palestinian Authority," ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said in a statement, "We support the idea of a pause in funding US aid to see if the new government can qualify to avoid a full cut of funding under the 2006 Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act prohibiting US foreign aid to a Palestinian government which includes Hamas."  But the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) — like Cantor — said the onus should be on the new government to show its mettle before aid is restored.

                                                                        

For 24 years the USA has been granting monies to the Palestinian Arabs even though they haven't stopped attacking Israelis.  They've hemmed and hawed at cutting aid.  It's time.  Pull the plug!  What more are you waiting for to happen?  None of USA expectations have been fulfilled with this money.  It hasn't been accountable.  You have no idea where it's going, and the worst fact of all is that it's been going to terrorism to use against Israel.  Here they're demonstrating wanting terrorists released.  

Resource:  The Jewish Press, January 9, 2015, page 7
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RS22967.pdf
https://www.nationalpriorities.org/blog/2013/05/06/how-much-foreign-aid-does-us-give-away/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAreilBRDzrNfb6uqX4fwBEiQAk-MRY8ojalQ9PWmQxOff7LKGUFARBIIIzRbfVQ5-AFaAsFsaAqh08P8HAQ
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/stat/usaid.html
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/paaid12.html
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/06/congress-cut-aid-palestine-reconciliation-hamas.html
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4615021,00.html