Bush Plans to Give More to Palestinians
Associated Press
Date: 05-25-05
By LARA SUKHTIAN, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Palestinian Authority could receive more direct aid from the United States, a Bush administration official and congressional aides said Wednesday ahead of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' meeting with President Bush.
Abbas is hoping Bush will reaffirm his commitment to the internationally backed road map peace plan for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and creating a Palestinian state. Abbas is concerned that U.S. support for Israel's unilateral plan to withdraw from Gaza has diverted attention from the road map.
On Wednesday, the Palestinian leader sought support on Capitol Hill, hoping to convince lawmakers that he was serious about democracy, peace, and reform.
Congress has approved $275 million in Palestinian aid for this year and is considering Bush's request for an additional $150 million. But Palestinian officials have complained the aid packages divert money into the hands of third parties, are loaded with restrictions, and give little direct aid to the government.
Some members of Congress have cited years of Palestinian government corruption as the reason for requiring third-party involvement.
One aide said Bush was expected to announce that tens of millions of dollars would go to the authority. The aide and the others spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.
Direct assistance to the Palestinians is allowed only if the president uses a waiver in existing law.
Any decision to provide direct aid could anger some members of Congress who say they still do not believe the Palestinian Authority should be trusted with U.S. assistance.
On Wednesday, Abbas questioned lawmakers on their reluctance to provide assistance he says his government needs to revive an ailing economy and rehabilitate his security forces.
"In spite of all the reforms, all of the changes we've made, why is it they continue to hold back money from the Palestinian Authority," Abbas said at a private breakfast, according an account provided by his organization.
Abbas also asked for additional aid to ensure a smooth Palestinian takeover of the Gaza Strip after Israel withdraws this summer.
"We need resources to maintain control," Abbas told lawmakers, according to the Palestinians' account.
Abbas also sought support in pressuring Israel to resume peace talks, adding that progress on the path to Palestinian independence must be made soon.
"Democracy and freedom are the two sides of the same coin," Abbas said. "We cannot have democracy without freedom."
The chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Rep. Henry Hyde (news, bio, voting record), commended the Palestinians for holding presidential elections. Hyde, R-Ill., said they "turned a new page in history and set an example for the rest of the Arab world to follow," according to a statement from his office.
Abbas acknowledged that more progress must be made with regard to security in the Palestinian territories.
"We have not achieved 100 percent of intended results, but we will continue. We have uprooted the culture of violence," Abbas said.
Rep. Tom Lantos (news, bio, voting record) of California, the committee's top Democrat, said he was pleased Abbas was making an effort to reduce attacks against Israelis. But Lantos said more concrete steps, including disarming the militant groups, must be taken.
"You have to know that you cannot make an omelet without breaking some eggs," Lantos said.
White House support is crucial for Abbas ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for July. A spokesman for the militant group Hamas, Abbas' top challenger, claimed on Wednesday that Abbas wants to postpone the elections until November.
Abbas, however, told the committee that elections will go ahead on July 17 and "we will not change the date unless it is done legally," according to Palestinian officials who attended the private meeting.
Hamas contends that Abbas' ruling Fatah party is trying to buy time to regain support lost to Hamas.
Lantos said Abbas would have the backing of Congress if he decided to delay the elections.
"I raised the issue, and I told him (Abbas) that he would get the full support from Congress if circumstances would necessitate postponing the elections," Lantos told reporters.
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Associated Press writers Anne Gearan, Jennifer Loven and Barry Schweid contributed to this report.
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