PM announces extra funding for Palestinians

[notfullofit]

Francis Elliott, Bethlehem

Gordon Brown announced an extra $60 million for the Palestinian National Authority today urging both it and the Israeli Government to seize the chance for peace.

Speaking at a press conference with President Mahmoud Abbas, Mr Brown said the cash would help “underpin” a Palestinian state should the current round of talks conclude successfully.

Half of the additional funding – which will take the UK’s contribution to the PNA $175 million this year – will be spent keeping the administration afloat. The remainder is targeted at projects both to improve the territories’ security and economy. In particular Mr Brown said he wanted to support efforts to enable Palestinians to get cheap mortgages – something it is hoped might kick-start a moribund housing market in the occupied territories.

“There is a will on both sides to move this to a conclusion,” said Mr Brown, referring to res-started so-called ‘final status’ talks between the Palestinians and Israelis which envisage a two-state solution.

more
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article4367684.ece

[Scurrilous]

1. Brown pledges Palestinian aid, urges settlement freeze

<snip>

"Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Sunday pledged new aid to the Palestinians and called for a freeze on Israeli settlement building to bolster the Middle East peace process.

"We have pledged 500 million dollars for economic development in Palestine over three years to 2011," Brown said after meeting Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.

"I can announce today a further commitment of 60 million dollars," Brown said on his first visit to the region as Britain's premier, bringing total British aid in 2008 to 175 million dollars.

Brown called for a freeze on Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, echoing criticism by the United States, saying their expansion had "made peace harder to achieve."

Settlement expansion "erodes trust, it heightens Palestinian suffering, it makes the compromises Israel will need to make for peace more difficult," Brown said, adding that there must also be a halt to violence on both sides."

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[ShockediSay]

2. How many times, in how many ways, has there been 'talk' of a settlement freeze

Talk is cheap

Our blind continual support of Israel is not

[LeftishBrit]

3. Who is 'our' in 'our blind continual support'? This is about the UK, not the USA.

While I'm no 'blind continual supporter' of Gordon Brown, I agree with him on all the points here: aid to Palestinians; demands for cessation of violence on both sides; pushing for a freeze on settlements.

P.S. many would say that it's Israel AND the UK that have been 'blind continual supporters' of American government policy, more than the other way round.

[azurnoir]

4. True enough

but also true of both the UK and the US

[subsuelo]

5. regarding the U.S.

If the U.S. wanted a two state settlement it could be drawn up and a done deal within a matter of days.

[Vegasaurus]

6. The PA got the best offer they are ever going to get

with American support.

It isn't the US's fault that the Palestinians insist upon items that are non-negotiable, like full right of return for 4.5 million people.

The US can't force that issue onto Israel.

Even if you think the US has that power.

[subsuelo]

8. Yes, it can.

[Vegasaurus]

9. I'd like to see the US try

to control the influx of 4.5 million Palestinians back into Israel, for example.

It ain't happening.

[subsuelo]

10. Israel's doing a good enough job of that

By stealing all the native land into a single state, then wondering where all those natives are going to go

[notfullofit]

7. Money wasted

snip..

Sari Nusseibeh, former Palestinian Authority representative in Jerusalem, and now president of Al-Quds University, said he urged British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in a meeting on Sunday to "think very seriously about stopping aid to the Palestinians."

The British Prime Minister seemed surprised and taken aback by his suggestion. So, Nusseibeh said, he was now bringing his proposal to the media.

"My suggestion is to stop this (the European aid)," Nusseibeh said. "The money being donated is just being wasted," he said, "it is just sustaining the occupation."



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