The Europeans decided on Monday to go ahead and send a
monthly contribution of 35 million Euro to the PA to pay PA
salaries and "humanitarian aid" even before Hamas meets their
stipulations to recognize the State of Israel, to abandon
terror and to honor international agreements and commit to
negotiations. Many seasoned observers in Washington believe
that Washington will also find a way to continue sending
money, at least for the immediate future to see how Hamas
will behave when it publicly holds the reins of power.
Ittim reported that Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zaher said that
Hamas might be willing to sign a long-term hudna with
Israel under the right conditions.
At a conference in Brussels EU foreign ministers issued
instructions to release a sum of 35 million Euros recently
withheld following revelations of corruption, and not to meet
demands by the US and Israel to stop the transfer of the
funds.
European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana reiterated
the conditions Monday morning before a meeting of EU foreign
ministers, saying that Hamas would not receive a single Euro
from Europe if it did not change, but French diplomats said
the Palestinian population should not be punished and left to
starve. Eventually a notice was drafted to read that aid "for
Palestinian economic development would continue at present
until the Hamas government is set."
When the conference ended in the evening the foreign
ministers threatened to stop even the annual aid money if the
Hamas does not meet the requirements. As expected, however,
the Europeans quickly retreated in the face of the new
political reality and blackmailing by the new leaders in the
Territories, crying out against alleged attempts to starve
the Palestinians.
European nations are also operating independently. The
Belgian Minister of Cooperation said he froze all contracts
with the PA until the situation becomes clearer and Hamas
recognizes Israel. France proposed sending the money to non-
government organizations, i.e. directly to Fatah or Abu
Mazen. In the meantime Saudi Arabia sent the PA Chairman $100
million.
The Hamas victory is turning into a money problem. The
Palestinians knew how to blackmail the West with the threat
of bringing more extreme groups into power and even now that
the extremists are in power the threat continues to frighten
the West.
However, against the backdrop of a recession in Europe that
has left millions unemployed and newly impoverished people
hungry and homeless, freezing in the cold, the Europeans are
finding it difficult to continue justifying sending millions
of Euros to what now appears to be a dictatorial terrorist
organization. Even pro-Palestinians and pro-Islamists are
unable to cast Hamas in a positive light since the
organization is identified with the suppression of freedom
and of all Western culture. Sharia (Islamic law) on
the inside and terror on the outside.
Attempts by Hamas leaders to portray themselves as moderates
were lampooned in one political cartoon depicting them as
veiled terrorists wearing a green tie and a suicide bomber's
suit.
Intelligence services predict that if funding continues to
flow into the PA, Hamas will take control of the money
— following a putsch and the deposition of PA Chairman
Abu Mazen if he tries to prevent them from seizing control
— and impose sharia on the Palestinians.
Even if the money does not come through, the scenario is
likely to take place. It appears doubtful they will coexist
and allow him to remain in office until his term ends in
2009. Hamas will inevitably turn to Iran and Saudi Arabia for
assistance. But the European governments are not asking
taxpayers for their opinion on the matter.
Every year Brussels officially donates 500 million Euros to
the Palestinian core budget. This money was originally
intended to strengthen Arafat and his security forces,
thereby allowing them to halt the Hamas. In reality it was
funneled directly into his secret bank accounts and used for
his own terrorist activities. Even when it was discovered
that their money had been wasted, the aid was not
discontinued due to fears that Hamas would rise to power and
Europe would lose its influence in the Middle East.
The Americans also sent money to advance democracy against
the Islamists. Now that the Islamists have risen to power
other excuses are being offered and convoluted ways sought to
continue sending money to the Territories without making it
appear as a direct contribution to the Hamas. "If we halt aid
the Iranians will come with their own money," cried The
Washington Post, echoing the old train of thought that
led to the funding of Arafat's terrorism and corruption and
Hamas' rise to power. Some commentators say that the Iranians
have already arrived together with the Hamas.
The uncertainty following the Hamas victory and the threats
to halt funding are seen as an admission of the failure of
Western policies intended to prevent an Islamic takeover of
the Territories with the support of Arafat and his PA allies.
The West supported one terrorist organization, under the
delusion that it would suppress another terrorist
organization.
According to the Wall Street Journal the Fatah
factions that Arafat led fed the Palestinians a steady diet
of terrorism, extremism and antisemitic propaganda since his
arrival in the Territories. Under Arafat's guidance the armed
factions assassinated Palestinian moderates and allowed Hamas
to use terrorism as a weapon to kill Israelis and to
blackmail Europeans. Only after Arafat allowed the Hamas to
murder 452 Israelis did the Israeli and US governments
abandon him as a peace partner.
The Wall Street Journal says Israel and the US are to
blame for the rise of Hamas through their agreements with
Fatah to suppress Hamas, believing Arafat would be able to
handle the Islamists unhindered as he was by the fetters
imposed by Israeli High Court judges. Instead he used them to
serve his murderous aims.
Now the US government will have to overcome the temptation to
pressure Israel into negotiations with Hamas with the
encouragement of Europe, which pressured Israel to get along
with Arafat. If Hamas uses Gaza for weapons storage and
launching attacks against Israel the US will have to back
Israel's right to defend itself. And if the Hamas, an
organization with many heads, chooses to become more moderate
without abandoning its aim of destroying Israel they will
have to wait until the Palestinians throw them out.
Most important of all is that the US make it clear to the
Palestinians that they have no future in terrorism.
