At the opening of the donors' conference in Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy emphasised the urgency of creating a Palestinian state by the end of next year, 2008. International donors eagerly pledged $7.4 billion, pretending that it will boost PA economy.
The list of fake friends of the fictitious Palestinian nation is long: United States, pledged $555 million for 2008, though about $400 million has not been approved by Congress; Britain, $500 million; Norway, $420 million; Spain, $360 million; France and Sweden, $300 million each; Germany, $290; Belgium, €86 million; the new Australian government pledged $39 million, almost doubling the intended pledge; the European Union, €440 million ($650 million) in grants to the Palestinians in 2008.
All of them ignored the enormous level of corruption, which is traditional and common at all levels of PA, which traditionally makes almost 50% of donated funds vanish. They did not care that funds are spent on terror campaigns against Israel. The fact that terrorism and military operations against it conducted by Israel is not a conducive environment for economic development have not made them stop and think what would be the better way to spend this huge amount of money for the betterment of the people they pretend to care about!
Would it be more effective, for peace in the Middle East, if all those funds, combined with UN and other programs, were directed toward re-settlement of the non-Jewish population from Judea, Samaria and Gaza to low populated Sinai, where they would have a vast amount of contiguous land, which they do not have in Israel, to build an independent state or have autonomy under the Egyptian government? But, logic and common sense are not applicable when prejudice against Jews and fear of Arab terror and diminishing supply of oil is in play.
That is why none of the legitimate nations, who are suffering from occupation, are not attracting such strong international attention and generosity. People of Tibet, Western Papua, Kurdistan, Western Sahara, Armenians in Turkey , Basques and others, who have been enduring discrimination and even genocide from their occupiers are still ignored and brushed of by international duplicity.
At the same time, the world is not really interested in true peace in the Middle East . It is only after the terror campaign, which was unleashed by the PLO during 70's and coincided with the oil embargo imposed by the Arab countries, that the United States and Europe had suddenly discovered the 'Palestinian nation'. Recent attacks by Al Qaida in the US, Europe and Bali have brought the horror memories back: plane and boat high-jackings, suicide bombings and execution of Israeli athletes in Munich . Fear combined with traditional anti-Semitism and dependency on Arab oil creates the best condition for the successful fund rasing party!
Steven Shamrak.
Australia.
StevenShamrak@gmail.com
Steven Shamrak, born in the Soviet Union, lives in Melbourne Australia. He is a qualified civil engineer and software specialist, and was an active participant in the nascent Moscow Zionist movement before he arrived in Australia 25 years ago. Believing that "a sense of pride, nationhood and connection to all Jewish land" is missing from Jewish hearts, he spends his spare time Educating Jews and non-Jews about Jewish history in the Middle East.
