2008 Woodie Awards
United States wrestles with Palestinian aid issues
Amanda Silk '08
Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: World
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While United States diplomatic relations in the middle east have met with lackluster success in recent years, United States-Palestine relations have proved particularly problematic recently.
On Saturday March 17, Palestinian lawmakers announced their ratification of a "unity government," in part to appease international concerns. While the government is still dominated by the controversial Hamas party, the Fatah and other political parties are represented.
Hamas-a radical Sunni Muslim movement that refuses to recognize Israel and denounce violence-has been defined by Israel, the United States, and the European Union as a terrorist organization.
When Hamas won control of the Palestinian government in elections last year, the United States suspended direct aid to the Palestinian authority, and many European and Arab states followed suit.
Palestine has the economy of a third-world country and is therefore heavily dependent on aid.
The main goal of putting financial pressure on Palestine, therefore, was to destabilize the Hamas government so it would fail. The failure of the Hamas would then open the door to new elections in Palestine.
The worldwide reactions to this have been varied. Unsurprisingly, Israel quickly declared that it will continue to not work with the Palestinian government or its members and will unequivocally continue the boycott.
However, European governments are not maintaining such a hard line approach. According to The New York Times, France has invited the new Foreign Minister, Ziad Abu Amr, to Paris. Meanwhile, officials of the British government are considering dealing with some moderate ministers of the Palestinian government, including Amr and the Finance Minister, Salam Fayyad. Norway has announced that it will recognize the new government.
However, recent statements have shown that the unity government has allowed openings for communication and perhaps a resumption of aid.
Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm, the spokeswoman for the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, told The New York Times, "We are not going to change our policy of dealing with foreign terrorist organizations, of which Hamas is one. We won't rule out contact with certain individuals with whom we have had contact before. We will evaluate the situation as we go along."
On Saturday March 17, Palestinian lawmakers announced their ratification of a "unity government," in part to appease international concerns. While the government is still dominated by the controversial Hamas party, the Fatah and other political parties are represented.
Hamas-a radical Sunni Muslim movement that refuses to recognize Israel and denounce violence-has been defined by Israel, the United States, and the European Union as a terrorist organization.
When Hamas won control of the Palestinian government in elections last year, the United States suspended direct aid to the Palestinian authority, and many European and Arab states followed suit.
Palestine has the economy of a third-world country and is therefore heavily dependent on aid.
The main goal of putting financial pressure on Palestine, therefore, was to destabilize the Hamas government so it would fail. The failure of the Hamas would then open the door to new elections in Palestine.
The worldwide reactions to this have been varied. Unsurprisingly, Israel quickly declared that it will continue to not work with the Palestinian government or its members and will unequivocally continue the boycott.
However, European governments are not maintaining such a hard line approach. According to The New York Times, France has invited the new Foreign Minister, Ziad Abu Amr, to Paris. Meanwhile, officials of the British government are considering dealing with some moderate ministers of the Palestinian government, including Amr and the Finance Minister, Salam Fayyad. Norway has announced that it will recognize the new government.
However, recent statements have shown that the unity government has allowed openings for communication and perhaps a resumption of aid.
Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm, the spokeswoman for the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, told The New York Times, "We are not going to change our policy of dealing with foreign terrorist organizations, of which Hamas is one. We won't rule out contact with certain individuals with whom we have had contact before. We will evaluate the situation as we go along."