Thursday, December 22, 2005
Here's a "read it all" recommendation by Tom Gross in the Wall Street Journal:
Around 30% of the Palestinian Authority budget comes from international donations, including a hefty amount from the European Union. If an Arab government funded stipends to the families of the London or Madrid bombers, it would probably be pretty big news. But this is the Palestinian Authority, and no matter how little it does to discourage terrorism, or to educate its people to coexist with Israel, it can rely on excuses being made on its behalf by an army of sympathizers throughout the West -- in the press, on college campuses and, most disturbingly, in foreign ministries.
For over a year now, since Mr. Abbas succeeded Yasser Arafat, his boss of 40 years, many in the West have done their utmost to "explain" or ignore Mr. Abbas's failings. But if Americans and Europeans are genuinely interested in promoting Palestinian-Israeli peace, it is time for them to take a realistic look at his record...
Judging from the story below, Senators push to exclude Hamas from elections, there are some people willing to do so, but are they really willing to go all the way and face what they'll inevitably find: That, stripped of its Jew, Israel and America hatred, there is precious little "Palestine" left to work with. What then?
(via LGF)
Reading your comment on Belmont Club in answer to his post on "What is Truth?" I notice a similarity in a manner of speaking to Powerlines' Yasser Abbas.
While Landes rightly, in my opinion leaves it to the viewer to decide on visual eveidence, Powerline casts doubts on Gross' facts gleaned from a Palestinian paper:
" I'm not sure what the story is on that law. The theme of Gross's column nevertheless strikes me as true. "
and "damming with faint praise" makes it difficult for the viewer to reach his own conclusion.
It is very big of them to give Gross the benefit of the doubt; just like "fair and balanced" reporting?
Gross was citing the report in one of Abbas' papers published on the day of the Netanya bombing.
After all the money and passes "Yasser Abbas" got from Bush and Rice maybe it is difficult for those supporting the Administration to have to admit as gross stupidity, their part with the rest of the Quartet, in the selection of Abbas for Prince of Palestine, but to cast doubt on the messenger does not buy it.
After all that has come to pass they should be the first to admit that -
"Moreover, according to the State Department spokesman I contacted last week, Abbas has assured the United States that he will not submit it ..." -
in light of previous experience with the PA the spokesman uttered a stupid reply.
For Abbas to give money it does not have be through a law and most probably given the unwanted attention his "proposal' received outside of the PA it has found another sewer to be routed through.
Only some weeks ago it was reported that of the PA's 60,000 security force some 25% did not exist in the flesh and some $90 million of the monthly $360 million was disappearing.
It seems that Bush's experience with Arafat's lies only lasted to his re-election last year. Unfortunately too many Americans are gullible enough to imagine that Arafat's crony of some 40 years is different.
You know, I actually went off to read PowerLine's entry and thought it was an interesting point, a possibility. Then I came back and read the rest of your message, and of course it's true...there's so much corruption and lack of accountability, it doesn't matter anyway. Can you imagine Abbas even considering trying to break the unions surrounding him, even if he cared? 10 times worse than New York transit.