While PA Calls 9/11 Casualties “Victims of U.S. Imperialism” Bush Increases U.S. Aid To Palestinian Arabs Despite Their Ongoing Terrorism Against Israel
NEW YORK- The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) strongly opposes the Bush administration’s reported plan to increase U.S. aid to the Palestinian Arabs by an additional $20-million, despite the Palestinian Authority’s ongoing terrorist war against Israel and the widespread financial corruption and misuse of funds among PA officials.
The U.S. has been providing the Palestinian Arabs with $100-million each year since 1994—a total of nearly $1-billion. The Bush administration has recently been pressing Congress to approve an additional $50-million this year to repair damaged areas in PA-controlled territories — even though those damages are the result of the PA’s continuing terrorist war against Israel.
Now PA cabinet minister Nabil Sha’ath has announced that “the U.S. and the World Bank have agreed to pay $35-million to start a new investment guarantee fund to support investment projects [in the PA]…the U.S. will pay $20-million and the World Bank $15-million.” (quoted in the pro-Arafat newspaper Jerusalem Times, Sept.12, 2002).
In a telegram to President Bush, ZOA National President Morton A. Klein, chairman of the board Dr. Alan Mazurek and chairman of the National Executive Committee Dr. Michael Goldblatt wrote: “In your speech in June, you called on the Palestinian Arabs to stop their terrorism, wipe out terrorist groups, and embrace democracy, human rights, and free market economics. They have not done any of that. How, then, can you justify rewarding their terrorism with $170-million in American taxpayers’ money? What incentive will they have to ever give up their terrorism and corruption, if you increase the aid before they have changed their behavior? Mr. President, stop funding those who promote, glorify, and fund terrorists.”
For a detailed analysis of the PA’s failure to fulfill the conditions of President Bush’s June 24 Mideast speech, please call the ZOA at 212-481-1500 for a free copy of the new ZOA report, Two Months Since the Bush Middle East Speech.
Ironically, the announcement of the Bush administration’s increase of aid to the PA came on the same day that the official PA newspaper, Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah, published two cartoons harshly ridiculing the United States on the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. One of the cartoons showed Uncle Sam running way from the words “September 11,” while the other showed the World Trade Centers towers standing over a pile of dead bodies labeled “victims of American imperialism” (Translations courtesy of Palestinian Media Watch.)