The whole Israel/Palestine thing has been flying a bit low on the radar for awhile now. All of a sudden, Bush is proposing big American foreign aid bucks for the Palestinians. Should we trust them? Where do you think this is headed?
Quote:
U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday pledged $350 million in aid to the Palestinians to bolster security and economic development, and said the goal of Palestinian statehood "is within reach."
Bush's State of the Union aid pledge - bigger than expected - was meant to demonstrate U.S. support for Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, elected last month to replace the late Yasser Arafat, whom Bush shunned as an obstacle to peace until his death.
"The beginnings of reform and democracy in the Palestinian territories are showing the power of freedom to break old patterns of violence and failure," Bush said in the speech.
"The goal of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace is within reach - and America will help them achieve that goal," he added.
Bush said he was asking Congress for the $350 million "to support Palestinian political, economic and security reforms."
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http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/535419.html