By Stan Goodenough
Feb 24, 2009
Arabs in the Gaza Strip who have suffered as a result of their people's terrorism against Israel heard Monday that they are to receive almost a billion dollars in aid from the United States.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is planning her first trip to the Middle East in her new capacity next week, will reportedly announce the package at a donor's meeting scheduled to take place in Cairo.
The money, purportedly designated to strengthen the PLO-controlled Palestinian Authority which is being challenged by Hamas, is to be channeled through the United Nations - the international organization that avidly supports and facilitates the goals of Israel's enemies.
An unnamed American official was quoted as saying that none of the money will find its way into Hamas' coffers, but a Fox News reporter in Israel scoffed at the notion, stressing that Hamas fully controls Gaza and nothing can get into the Strip without the terror group's being involved.
"Anyone who believes otherwise is only deluding himself," Fox said.
Meanwhile, as Clinton earmarks 900 million American dollars for the Arab side, other US lawmakers plan to push for a restriction in aid to Israel.
Democratic Congressman Brian Baird called Tuesday for Washington to squeeze Israel to open the borders into Gaza and reassess its military support for the Jewish state, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Baird, who visited Gaza last week, said he was shocked by "the level of destruction, the scope of it, specifically the civilian targets - schools, hospitals, industry."
Israel had "apparently willfully destroyed any capacity of the Palestinians to rebuild their own infrastructure," he added.