Obama asks Congress to relax rules on aid to Palestinians, softens tone on Hamas
Cozying up to jihad terrorists -- the outcome of that can in no way be positive.
"Washington signals softer tone on Hamas," by Daniel Dombey and Tobias Buck in the Financial Times, April 22
Barack Obama's administration is trying to smooth the way for aid to a Palestinian government backed by Hamas in a striking contrast to the policy of George W. Bush, the former president, who sought to bring down any such government.In a request for more than $800m in US funds for the West Bank and Gaza, the administration has asked Congress to soften rules for granting assistance to the Palestinians, to prevent disruption of aid in the event of a national unity government being formed....
According to legislation passed this year, aid to a power-sharing government including Hamas can only continue if Mr Obama certifies that the militant Islamist organisation has accepted international principles including renouncing violence, abiding by past agreements and recognising Israel's right to exist.
The latest request by the administration would instead require that the president certify "that such [a] government has accepted and is complying with the principles".
That is a much easier test, since Palestinian officials say any coalition agreed by the two parties would not include members of Hamas or its rival Fatah, but instead rely on independent politicians and technocrats.
The US move comes in spite of Israeli arguments that peace would not be advanced by a Palestinian government that included Hamas, which Israel, the US and the European Union all identify as a terrorist organisation....
Meanwhile, Obama has approved a Turkish arms sale to Lebanon, and the Russians, ever eager to aid the global jihad, are giving Lebanon fighter jets for free. Hmmm. I wonder who the Lebanese will use them against?
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