The European Parliament’s budgetary committee is hoping to unfreeze its transfer of 18.7 million Euros to the Palestinian Authority. The money was held up in light of Israeli charges that the EU money was being used to fund Arab terrorism. The European Union, the PA\'s largest donor, provides some ten million euros a month to the PA, about 1/10 of the annual PA budget.
Associated Press reports that EU External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten will recommend to Parliament this Wednesday that the freeze, which was only announced some ten days ago, be lifted immediately. The EU Commission says that an investigation into how the PA uses its funds shows that the money is not used for terrorist purposes. Documents captured during Operation Defensive Shield, however, show that PA funds were used to finance terror against Israel and given that the EU funds the PA, the EU-PA-terrorism connection appears clear.
In addition, a recent lawsuit filed on behalf of terrorist victim Steve Blumberg, whose wife was murdered in an attack, accuses the EU of paying the salaries of the PA security forces, whose members have carried out the majority of attacks against Israelis. Most of these attacks were perpetrated under the auspices of such groups Arafat’s Fatah-Tanzim and the Al-Aqsa Brigades.
In 1995, after a year of transferring funds to the PA, the United States Congress carried out a similar investigation and determined that the PA had in fact misappropriated American funds. Following the investigation, Congress decided to suspend all transfer of monies to the PA. The EU, however, may outlaw the Al-Aqsa Brigades, but appears to be on the way to concluding that its funding of Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian Authority should continue.
Associated Press reports that EU External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten will recommend to Parliament this Wednesday that the freeze, which was only announced some ten days ago, be lifted immediately. The EU Commission says that an investigation into how the PA uses its funds shows that the money is not used for terrorist purposes. Documents captured during Operation Defensive Shield, however, show that PA funds were used to finance terror against Israel and given that the EU funds the PA, the EU-PA-terrorism connection appears clear.
In addition, a recent lawsuit filed on behalf of terrorist victim Steve Blumberg, whose wife was murdered in an attack, accuses the EU of paying the salaries of the PA security forces, whose members have carried out the majority of attacks against Israelis. Most of these attacks were perpetrated under the auspices of such groups Arafat’s Fatah-Tanzim and the Al-Aqsa Brigades.
In 1995, after a year of transferring funds to the PA, the United States Congress carried out a similar investigation and determined that the PA had in fact misappropriated American funds. Following the investigation, Congress decided to suspend all transfer of monies to the PA. The EU, however, may outlaw the Al-Aqsa Brigades, but appears to be on the way to concluding that its funding of Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian Authority should continue.