Friday, December 17, 2004

Palestinian Funding

I was not aware that Palestinians recieve the most per capita aid of any group in the world ($300 per person). I know Israel is the largest per capita recipient of aid from the U.S....I think. Odd how both sides are just given more and more money. It's like Don King training two boxers.


December 17, 2004
NYT
Donors Consider Large Increase in Aid to Palestinians
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN


WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 - The United States, Europe and Arab countries are considering greatly increasing - maybe even doubling - aid to the Palestinians on condition that they and Israel take certain steps toward reducing their conflict, American and Palestinian officials say.

A four-year package of $6 billion to $8 billion would be forthcoming, they said, if the Palestinian elections set for Jan. 9 occurred successfully and if the new government cracked down on militant groups and Israel lifted scores of roadblocks and checkpoints to ease the transit of goods and people in Palestinian areas.

....

The World Bank says the package, which would come from the United States, the European Union, Arab states and other donors, would be the largest per person international aid program since World War II.

The Palestinians are already the world's largest per capita recipients of international aid, getting about $1 billion for 3.5 million inhabitants, or nearly $300 per person. The contemplated aid package would increase that amount by 50 to 100 percent.

To support the new Palestinian leaders and send a signal to European and Arab leaders to step up their own aid programs, the United States announced in Oslo that it would add to the $200 million it contributed indirectly to the Palestinians this year by channeling another $20 million directly to the Palestinian Authority.

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