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I Am My Avatar - Explain this to me
Big Warm Fuzzy Public Heart
11:31 am March 2nd, 2009
boutell
[info]boutell
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Explain this to me
Donor countries, including the US, are pledging $3 billion to rebuild the Gaza Strip after the recent 21-day military conflict with Israel.

However, they will not be giving this money to Hamas, which is currently the democratically elected government of the Gaza Strip. Instead they will be giving it to the Palestinian Authority, which is located in the West Bank. Not the Gaza Strip.

Now, I get that the Palestinian Authority represents the point of view that the jews should not be pushed wholesale into the sea and therefore is potentially a group of people we can work with. But if they don't have any authority in Gaza, and the Israelis won't allow in a penny that would benefit Hamas, what will giving the PA $3 billion to "rebuild Gaza" accomplish?

The Al-Jazeera article I've linked to here suggests that the PA will accomplish the goal through nonprofits and aid agencies. But it also states that most of the money, at least that coming from the US, is actually intended to reinforce the PA:

"$900m, with $300m earmarked for rebuilding in the Palestinian territory and $600m for the PA to reorganise itself and the Palestinian economy."

Sure sounds like a bunch of countries have decided it's time to push hard for the PA to be seen as the legitimate government in the Gaza Strip as well and marginalize Hamas. But why would Al-Jazeera stop short of coming right out and saying that's what's going on?

[Scratches head]

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Comments
Thread started by She's a Hundred but She's Wearing Something Tight
kemidra From: [info]kemidra Date: March 2nd, 2009 04:52 pm (UTC) (Link)
I'm sure there's more to it than this, but my first thought is that nobody likes to say out loud that we're using money to influence another nation's government. We're effectively trying to shake out the established government and raise one to power that we like better. Maybe nobody wants to phrase it so baldly?
(Reply) (Thread)
waider From: [info]waider Date: March 2nd, 2009 10:09 pm (UTC) (Link)
because supporting the non-elected over the elected has never had poor repercussions, amirite? (you may take this as tongue in cheek, lest there be any doubt)
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by To Mega Theremin
rwx From: [info]rwx Date: March 2nd, 2009 05:03 pm (UTC) (Link)
From the article:

The Palestinian Authority already administers foreign aid and has been sending $120m to Gaza each month to cover civil servants' salaries.


This is a continuation of the status quo and not something novel.
(Reply) (Thread)
boutell From: [info]boutell Date: March 2nd, 2009 05:27 pm (UTC) (Link)
Huh. Rube Goldberg has nothing on this situation.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Comment by florafloraflora
florafloraflora From: [info]florafloraflora Date: March 2nd, 2009 05:53 pm (UTC) (Link)
Maybe they figured everyone would do the math the way you and I just did?
(Reply) (Thread)
Thread started by Skola
skola From: [info]skola Date: March 2nd, 2009 06:15 pm (UTC) (Link)
As was previously noted, the PA runs the civil service, as well as most of the utilities. In addition, there is an efficiency argument here. Money routed via Hamas tends to stay with Hamas. Money routed via the PA tends to split about 70% in the PA's pocket, and 30% toward the intended recipient (numbers approximated because I can't pull the real ones, but if necessary, I can find them). Also, While Hamas generally controls Gaza and the PA generally controls the West Bank, there are members of both in each territory, and they tend to run around trying to kill each other. At the moment, Hamas is the stronger, so some of this is also about trying to balance things so that they work together to make the unity government they pledge to a few a years ago. The cynical side of me who's lived over in that region says it'll never happen, but I really can't fault people for trying to make the situation better.
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boutell From: [info]boutell Date: March 2nd, 2009 07:06 pm (UTC) (Link)
That fleshes things out a lot. Thanks.
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skola From: [info]skola Date: March 2nd, 2009 07:10 pm (UTC) (Link)
Anytime.
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Thread started by Rebeccah רבקה
nesheekah From: [info]nesheekah Date: March 2nd, 2009 07:56 pm (UTC) (Link)

Money that comes into Hamas goes back out in the form of bombs and rockets. Not to mention that Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization with the United States, and considering our whole war-on-terror philosophy, funding Hamas directly can't work.
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boutell From: [info]boutell Date: March 2nd, 2009 08:47 pm (UTC) (Link)
What puzzled me was why we weren't just giving the money directly to the UN agencies the PA will supposedly funnel it to, according to the article. The answer seems to be that we (where "we" is a pretty wide net, including the Saudis) have decided to more aggressively support the PA over Hamas.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by jixel
jixel From: [info]jixel Date: March 2nd, 2009 08:12 pm (UTC) (Link)
personally i think they should be giving the money to Israeli construction firms as a way to pave a better way for all parties. Sure the arabs won't agree with me, but this way we can build cardboard houses that won't hurt anybody next time hamas decides to trigger another war.

either that, or just build a big hole and bury them alive, to save us all a hell of a lot of aggravation.

but hey, i hate hamas.
(Reply) (Thread)
boutell From: [info]boutell Date: March 2nd, 2009 08:48 pm (UTC) (Link)
I'm a genocidal bigot, but hey, I'm a genocidal bigot?

Persuasive argument there cicero.
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12 comments or Leave a comment
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Tom Boutell
User: [info]boutell
Name: Tom Boutell
Website: Goode Trouble
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