A most urgent question, especially in light of this and this. From Les Kinsolving in WND, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
The following are reported plans to finance a potential Palestinian state:
From the United States: Doubling the present $275 million to $550 million — this after Palestinians have already received $1.5 billion (and how much of that was stolen by the late Yasser Arafat?)
In May, President Bush pledged $50 million in direct U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority to build housing and other infrastructure in Gaza once Israel completes its disengagement.
From the Group of Eight countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, Russia and the U.S.): $3 billion more to the Palestinian Authority to help with Gaza’s reconstruction.
From Israel: an agreement in principle to allow the P.A. to construct a seaport, and rebuild the Gaza Airport — as well as a possible trade corridor between Gaza and Hebron as existed before the second Palestinian uprising in 2000.
From Arab states: “Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will seek to rally Arab financial support at a summit of the 22-member Arab League expected in September or October.”
This begs three questions and one trenchant comment from Israel:
The Saudi Arabian government is one of the world’s wealthiest. Why is there not now any pledge from Saudi Arabia of billions of dollars like the United States and Group of Eight?
When can the Palestinian Authority be expected to disarm either of those recognized-as-terrorist-organizations Hamas or Islamic Jihad, which comprise so much of Palestinian Authority troops?
How long does anybody believe that the Israeli land adjacent to the Gaza strip will be free of terrorist attacks by Hamas or Islamic Jihad — or other Arab terrorist organizations currently being moved into Gaza and the West Bank?
Israeli former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who resigned from incumbent Prime Minister Sharon’s cabinet and is now running against Sharon to head the Likud Party, said: “Israel gave and gave and gave some more. And Palestinians got more and more and more. And what did we get in return? The answer is: Nothing, nothing and nothing.”