 | Palestinian Humanitarian Aid Increased, The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) hands out monthly food supplies to Palestinians at a warehouse in Gaza City Tuesday, April 4. |
U.S. Cuts Funds to Palestinian Authority, Raises Humanitarian Aid, Rice says Hamas-led government failed to meet international demands, By David Shelby, Washington File Staff Writer
Washington – The United States announced April 7 that it would cut off all financial assistance to the Hamas-led Palestinian government in the absence of any indication that Hamas is prepared to renounce violence, respect Israel’s right to exist and pursue good faith negotiations toward implementation of the road map peace process.
At the same time, the United States said it would increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, channeling funds through the U. N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
“Because the new Hamas-led Palestinian government has failed to accept the Quartet principles of non-violence, recognition of Israel and respect for previous agreements between the parties, the United States is suspending assistance to the Palestinian government's cabinet and ministries,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an April 7 statement.
The Quartet, which includes the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States, issued a statement shortly after Hamas’ electoral victory outlining the conditions under which the international community would engage with a Hamas-led government.
Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch told reporters in Washington, “Regrettably so far, the new Hamas government has not answered on any of those principles with anything that could approximate a ‘yes.’”
“Absent a commitment by the Hamas government to these preconditions, we cannot see them as a partner for peace,” he added.
Welch reaffirmed the U.S. unwillingness to engage in contacts with Hamas, which the United States considers a terrorist organization, but he said Washington would remain in contact with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, who has denounced violence and voiced his support for a negotiated peace settlement with Israel.
According to a State Department fact sheet, the United States will suspend more than $400 million in assistance to the Palestinian Authority. This funding had been earmarked for infrastructure projects, enterprise development, governmental capacity building and community policing, among other things.
Rice said, however, “It is also our desire to help provide for the basic human needs of the Palestinian people.”
Consequently, the United States will provide $245 million to UNRWA and NGOs to support food programs, health care, avian influenza prevention, education and democratic organizations.
Welch said the funding for democracy programs was aimed at providing hope to the 55 percent of Palestinian voters who did not cast ballots for Hamas in the January legislative elections that propelled that group to power.
He said that UNRWA is an excellent vehicle for channeling assistance directly to the Palestinian people because of its presence on the ground in the Palestinian territories and in refugee camps in surrounding countries and because of its record of accountability.
A FACT SHEET outlining changes in U.S. assistance to the Palestinians is available at the State Department Web site.
Rice’s statement is available on the State Department Web site.
For information on U.S. policy, see The Middle East: A Vision for the Future.
Technorati Tags: State Department and Secretary of State or Palestinian Authority and Hamas, or Maoist insurgency and U. N. Relief and Works Agency or Condoleezza Rice, and The Quartet, or European Union, and Humanitarian Aid,
Related: Keywords State Department, Monday, April 10, 2006 Nepal: A Message for the King, Wednesday, April 05, 2006 State Department Podcast, VIDEO and Text 04/03/06, Thursday, March 30, 2006 State Department Podcast, VIDEO and Text 03/29/06, Monday, April 03, 2006 Secretary Rice With Foreign Secretary Straw, Baghdad, Friday, March 31, 2006 Rice in Berlin To Discuss Iran with P-5 plus 1, Friday, March 31, 2006 UNHCR Worker’s Death in Sudan Attack, Friday, March 31, 2006 Statement on China's treatment of Kim Chun-Hee, Thursday, March 30, 2006 State Department Podcast, VIDEO and Text 03/29/06, Thursday, March 23, 2006 State Department Podcast, VIDEO and Text 03/22/06, Monday, March 13, 2006 State Department Podcast, VIDEO and Text 03/13/06, Wednesday, March 01, 2006 State Department Podcast and Text 02/28/06, Wednesday, February 22, 2006 State Department Podcast and Text 02/21/06, Monday, February 13, 2006 State Department Podcast and Text 02/10/06, Thursday, February 09, 2006 State Department Podcast and Text 02/08/06, Friday, January 27, 2006 State Department Podcast and Text 01/25/06, Friday, January 27, 2006 Rice on Palestinian Elections (PODCAST),
No comments:
Post a Comment