U.S. Congress freezes transfer of $86 million in aid to Abbas - Haaretz

Last update - 20:10 14/02/2007

U.S. Congress freezes transfer of $86 million in aid to Abbas

By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent

The United States Congress last week decided to freeze the transfer of $86 million in aid that was to be allocated to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. It is unclear when and if the aid will be transferred.

The Bush administration had publicly promised to ask Congress to transfer the funds in order to bolster Abbas and his forces. Due to the uncertainty of a few legislators, the transfer has been postponed indefinitely.

The State Department was informed of the decision ten days ago by Democratic Congresswoman Nita Lowey, who also chairs the House of Representative's Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Agencies.

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According to Lowey, the funds will not be transferred until the cabinet has elaborated on the designation of the aid. Lowey said Congress was not given sufficient information regarding where and why the funds were being transferred.

Bush had said that the money would be used to fund training for Abbas's security forces, and to supply them with uniforms and other equipment.

The transfer of funds was frozen before the rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah signed a unity government agreement in Mecca. Lowey's office told Haaretz Tuesday that following the agreement, legislators have expressed even greater doubt over transferring the money. Observers in Washington told Haaretz that Lowey is one of Congress' most staunch supporters of Israel.

At this stage, the money will not be transferred to Palestinian leaders until Congress is convinced such a move should be implemented.

Related link

American money to the Palestinians? Not so fast

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1.	have we transfered all 100 mil? can we still stop it?	19:46	\|	ralph	14/02/07

2.	Finally, sanity returns	20:08	\|	bimmer	14/02/07

3.	Foreign Aid to the Palestinian Authority	20:26	\|	Johnny Weintraub	14/02/07

4.	My goodness, look what Nita Lowey Can do!	20:52	\|	Yaakov Sullivan	14/02/07

5.	dems and funds	21:01	\|	jan	14/02/07

6.	#4 Hey Yaakov	21:16	\|	ballistic	14/02/07

7.	NO AID TO ISRAEL	21:16	\|	Ra	14/02/07

8.	If the Palestinian Authority does not adhere to the requirements	21:26	\|	Nadav	14/02/07

9.	please don`t transfere them	21:35	\|	Palestinain	14/02/07

10.	Frozen funds	21:49	\|	ballistic	14/02/07

11.	Why exactly anybody need to transfer funds to Pal criminals?	21:57	\|	Sal	14/02/07

12.	AID	22:00	\|	Mike	14/02/07

13.	anti-Zionists: this was military aid for Fatah	22:18	\|	Paul Freedman	14/02/07

14.	Lowey - AIPAC`s lackey	22:35	\|	dana	14/02/07

15.	No, not that simple Nadav #8	22:38	\|	Yaakov Sullivan	14/02/07

16.	Same Comment as to Rosner`s Story	22:46	\|	Mark of Lewiston	14/02/07

17.	#4 & #5 - the ballistic Yaakoc	22:55	\|	couldn`t be happier	14/02/07

18.	What Americans need to know	23:22	\|	Brod	14/02/07

19.	#15 hoping for another 60 years, no doubt!	23:37	\|	ballistic	14/02/07

20.	To Mike and Dana	23:40	\|	Henry	14/02/07

21.	Yakov Sulliven #15	23:51	\|	Yitzhak Goldman	14/02/07

22.	#14 Dana	23:54	\|	Butch ben Yok	14/02/07

23.	#15	00:05	\|	Moshe	15/02/07

24.	Who are all these fake Americans?	00:11	\|	Clint	15/02/07

25.	Hooray for AIPAC & OUR FRIENDS IN CONGRESS	00:44	\|	* BEN JABO	15/02/07

26.	My goodness, look what Nita Lowey Can do!	00:47	\|	Mufasa	15/02/07

27.	If the money was only meant for...	01:23	\|	Maureen Ann	15/02/07

28.	U.S. Congress freezes transfer of $86 million in aid to Abbas	01:34	\|	WILL	15/02/07

29.	Americans and aid ti Israel	01:57	\|	Omran	15/02/07

30.	#8: Does Israel accept the Quartet`s Demands?	02:47	\|	Someone	15/02/07

31.	Mark of Lewiston	02:52	\|	Mark Lincoln	15/02/07

32.	Aid	03:44	\|	John	15/02/07

33.	It appears that democrats like palestinians even less than Bush	03:49	\|	Voice of Reason	15/02/07

34.	Fatah has joined and converted to Hamas	05:53	\|	Joseph E .	15/02/07

35.	Mark Lincoln	07:13	\|	Mark of Lewiston	15/02/07

36.	ballistic, "I fear something awful is going to happen."	07:33	\|	Maureen Ann	15/02/07

37.	#28 Hey Maureen	11:41	\|	ballistic	15/02/07

38.	Funds transfer	17:54	\|	* BEN JABO	15/02/07

39.	#36 Maureen Ann - You`re not "fearing" it	23:50	\|	* BEN JABO	15/02/07

40.	Maureen Ann - Just for you	00:19	\|	* BEN JABO	16/02/07

41.	More woeful reporting by Rosner...	00:25	\|	Richard Silverstein	16/02/07

42.	86`ing the 86	00:47	\|	stanley goode	16/02/07

43.	#24 Clint	01:10	\|	* BEN JABO	16/02/07