Throwing Money at Gaza

JINSA
Report #: 996
10 June '10

President Obama described the situation in Gaza as "unsustainable," and a White House statement said the administration "demands a significant change in strategy" while agreeing that "Israelis have the right to prevent arms from entering into Gaza that can be used to launch attacks into Israeli territory." Standing with Abu Mazen, the President announced $400 million in U.S. humanitarian aid for Gaza Palestinians. How? Even The New York Times acknowledged that it wasn't clear, "how Mr. Abbas, who has authority in the West Bank but no authority in Gaza, would be able to administer (the funds)."

State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley tried to make it all work:

There are two stories here. There's a compelling and urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza. And there is a growing economy and a relatively stable situation that is improving every day in the West Bank. What is the difference between those two? It is the nature of the government that is currently ruling in the West Bank and was part of a unified government until Hamas changed the situation on the ground in Gaza. So let's put the responsibility where it clearly lies... because Hamas chooses, rather than serving the needs of its people, to fire rockets at Israel, that's the reason why you have the current situation in Gaza.

Not quite accurate.

The "nature" of the Fatah government on the West Bank is that it believes, like Hamas, that the creation of Israel was a "naqba" and a mistake by the international community. It wants the mistake corrected with the dissolution of Israel and the creation of a Palestinian state in all of the territory of Mandatory Palestine, including Jordan. Fatah, like Hamas, rejects the legitimacy of Jewish sovereignty in the Middle East. And, like Hamas, Fatah believes in "armed resistance," having reaffirmed violence against Israel at its convention last summer. Unlike Hamas, however, Fatah believes that the dissolution of Israel can be accomplished by political means, so Fatah will discuss many things with the Government of Israel, including economics, day-to-day wellbeing for the people and even, temporarily, security.

(Read full report)

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