I know you don;t liek this Len; neither do I.
and Michael, please stop attacking Len for having views that are opposed to yours; it doesnt make him a bad poerson.
U.S. Pre-election Support to Fatah Raises Red Flags
20:35 Jan 23, '06 / 23 Tevet 5766
By Hana Levi Julian
The United States is quietly helping Fatah in the Palestinian Authority prior to Wednesday’s legislative elections, providing financial support to boost the ruling party’s image.
According to a report in Sunday's Washington Post, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has indirectly funded Fatah to the tune of $2-million for a number of popular projects.
The plan to counter the rising popularity of terrorist organization Hamas, a first-time contender in the elections, may have backfired, however, despite no official USAID or other American logo appearing on any events or projects funded.
Funds were provided to support street-cleaning, planting trees and providing water and food supplies at border crossing points, as well as newspaper advertisements promoting the projects, said the report.
USAID mission director for the West Bank and Gaza, James Bever, sent mixed messages when talking about the American aid. “We are not favoring any particular party,” he said. “But we do not support parties that are on the terrorism list. We are here to support the democratic process.”
Questions are being asked within the Bush administration about the propriety of funding Fatah, which has been accused of corruption in the past.
According to a report on the Aljazeera news service, Fatah is also being attacked for accepting the funds, which the other parties in the election contend is illegal. “This is a clear violation of the election law,” said Azmi Nibali, campaign manager of one of the other parties in the election. “Receiving money from foreign sources is forbidden and the PA and Fatah ought to clarify their position in this regard,” he added.
Former PA minister Ahmad Majdalani, one of the candidates, called the USAID funding a “brazen foreign interference in the Palestinian elections” while speaking to reporters at a press conference on Monday.
Hamas condemned the funding as an “American bribe,” saying it was another reason to vote for “those whose hands are not tainted with American money”. |
