Trump threatens to withhold funding to Palestinians

[geriatrickid]

12 minutes ago, simple1 said:

How much of US aid for Palestinians, plus all other international donors, actually ends up benefiting the Israeli economy through trade?

Why don't you do the research instead of asking here?  The money given to the PLA is spent on salaries for PLA admin, purchase of  foreign sourced goods and services with none of the hard products sourced through Israel. The PLA prefers to purchase via Turkey and the EU.

[geriatrickid]

1 hour ago, malibukid said:

good point, the Jewish lobby has Trump in his pocket, good for the Donald's business interest, they are proxies for the Israeli State.

No it is not. The fact is that the imaginary jewish lobby you reference is anything but in the Trump camp.  How many times does it have to be pointed out that the major  donors from the Jewish community were Democrat party  supporters? If anything, the Jews should be on their knees giving thanks to a man like Trump who has treated them fairly, despite  not having much support from the Jewish community.

[Bluespunk]

5 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Your posts are just like a broken record.

Yawn. 

[Bluespunk]

11 hours ago, generealty said:

Bluespunk - Why should countries in the West continue to send $Billions each year in aid when people in their own countries are having a rough time. I do not think Trump is the bad guy here. I think he is spot on. Time to stop the freeloaders and look after their own. If it was not Trump I bet your post would have been different. Same as UK everything is the fault of Brexit. Bullsh..

None of what you wrote negates my point. 

[bandito]

10 hours ago, Morch said:

Simple is as simple does.

 

Putting down people seems to be one of your favorite pastimes.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts removed.   The topic is about US funding for the Palestinians.   Continued off-topic deflections will earn suspensions.  

 

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  

[Morch]

I don't know if Trump  will actually withhold funds to the Palestinians or not, or whether such a move will include all channels and forms of funding. Some budgets and projects are probably already allocated in ways which would make instant withholding problematic. That it's yet another elephant in a china shop move, exemplifying Trump's version of diplomacy and lack of nuance is obvious enough. Trump's "way" of doing things is by setting bombastic ultimatums. Even on these occasions when they do produce results, they leave behind the seeds of future discontent.

 

When it comes to diplomacy and aid, there aren't a whole lot of free meals. Whether posters wish to accept it or not, or whether they wish to demand the application of some ideal moral standard, does not change how things are. And, of course, this is no way limited to the USA.

 

It cannot be claimed that the Palestinians fully (or, some would say, adequately) lived up to conditions and terms related to funds provided. And this is by no means a new development or an issue which wasn't raised in the past. Complaints associated with corruption and misuse of funds are common, even among the Palestinians themselves.

 

Does funding the Palestinians serve US interests? I would say it does, so long as one is realistic about the returns, and/or is willing to apply leverage in a less crude manner. Did the US handle the leverage angle effectively over the years? Not really, which in part contributed to things coming to a head the way they did.

 

For those favoring Trump's move - what are the expected possible effects/gains here? Saving a few hundred million dollars, yes. But given that in all likelihood the funds will not be instantly allocated to other purpose, a bit hollow. Making a supposed point about US Aid and quid pro quo? It's not obvious that there is a set of clearly formulated principals offered. Getting the Palestinians to the negotiation table? Not much of a carrot offered, and no real upside to making their relatively moderate faction lose face and ground to the opposition. Causing a general Palestinian economic meltdown? Can't see where that's going other than playing straight to extremists' narrative. Bottom line is - applying leverage is all very well, it's basically what it's there for. There are just better ways of doing so.

 

[puipuitom]

Since 1950 many Billions were spent to the Palestinians via UNWRA. Budget 2016: US$ 1,5 BILLION. Started with a 700.000 displaced Arabs  ( or also some poor Arabs, who preferred to hold up their hands? ) but ZERO to the about 700.000 Jews, who had fled the Arab world. and now 5.3 million Arab refugeees. In all these years, the costs only went up, with not so much done by the Palestinian people itsself except attacking Israël and Jews.

In 70 years kindness of the Europeans and Americans was only answerred with terror attacks. And  LOT of money went into the wrong hands. See for instance how the widow of Yassir Arafat lives in Paris.

So, I can imagine, Trimp uses now the other way: not anymore the carrot, but the stick.

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.  The topic isn't about ISRAEL.

[Redline]

17 hours ago, generealty said:

Bluespunk - Why should countries in the West continue to send $Billions each year in aid when people in their own countries are having a rough time. I do not think Trump is the bad guy here. I think he is spot on. Time to stop the freeloaders and look after their own. If it was not Trump I bet your post would have been different. Same as UK everything is the fault of Brexit. Bullsh..

He’s not helping Americans, he’s taking away help.  You’re ignorant 

[simple1]

13 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

Why don't you do the research instead of asking here?  The money given to the PLA is spent on salaries for PLA admin, purchase of  foreign sourced goods and services with none of the hard products sourced through Israel. The PLA prefers to purchase via Turkey and the EU.

I was curious what info / thoughts posters had as any withdrawal of aid by Trump, I assume, would negatively  impact Palestinian purchasing power, thereby negatively impact the israeli economy. Example economic figures are at the URLs below which seem to undermine your input.

 

The top import origins are Israel ($2.86B), China($258M), Turkey ($257M), Jordan ($165M) and Egypt($121M).

 

https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/pse/

 

Due to difficult economic situation and restrictions on movement and access, trade with the EU is very limited (€272 million in 2016).

 

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/palestine/

 

http://www.mfa.gov.tr/filistin_in-ekonomisi.en.mfa

 

On another front some Israeli officials have criticised Trump's threat as weakening the Palestinian State, with a  outcome of additional costs and threats for Israel.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/world/middleeast/trump-israel-palestinians-twitter.html

 

Edited January 3, 2018 by simple1

[greenchair]

On 1/3/2018 at 8:29 AM, generealty said:

Bluespunk - Why should countries in the West continue to send $Billions each year in aid when people in their own countries are having a rough time. I do not think Trump is the bad guy here. I think he is spot on. Time to stop the freeloaders and look after their own. If it was not Trump I bet your post would have been different. Same as UK everything is the fault of Brexit. Bullsh..

Get out of fairy land. 

All those millions of dollars with strings . 

Just like charities have their agendas that are very little to do with actually helping people. 

America funds certain countries to assist their own agendas. Usually it has a great deal of effect stamping their feet down at the UN every time they want something voted their way. 

In this case, for once, it didn't work.