Impeccable Timing – The EU Quietly Moves Towards Resuming Aid to the Hamas Government
With little fanfare the EU has decided to test the waters for resuming aid to the Hamas-dominated Palestinian government. The aid being offered, only 5.3 million dollars, according to a report in the Ottawa Citizen on June 12, is to be provided over the next few years to monitor the “growing flow of donor funds.” The timing of the aid announcement was impeccable, coming just as Hamas launches it final push to finish off Fatah in Gaza.
Meanwhile, French foreign ministry officials and a growing chorus of EU MPs are urging the EU to end the sanctions regime against Hamas and resume large-scale budgetary aid the Palestinian government.
The Australian on June 14 notes that only three months ago, Hamas had agreed to a unity government with Fatah “in a bid to break an international aid and economic blockade of the Palestinian Authority put in place after it deposed Fatah in democratic elections in January last year.” How ironic it is that the Europeans are moving toward direct funding and recognition of the Hamas-dominated government just as the unity agreement between Hamas and Fatah is unraveling.
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