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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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 Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:12 pm Post subject: Canada ends all relations with Hamas |
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Just in case you missed it:
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'Not a red cent to Hamas,' MacKay says
Last Updated Wed, 29 Mar 2006 19:24:47 EST
CBC News
Canada has ended all relations with the new Palestinian government, Ottawa announced Wednesday.
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay says Hamas must change its policies.(CP file photo)
Canada has ended any contacts with the members of the Hamas cabinet and is suspending assistance to the Palestinian Authority, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said.
"Not a red cent to Hamas," MacKay said on CBC's Inside Politics. "This is a terrorist organization."
Hamas members were sworn in as the Palestinian cabinet on Wednesday. The militant group has refused to recognize Israel, renounce violence and agree to follow existing plans to bring peace to the region, as Canada and other countries have demanded.
"They have to change," MacKay said.
The Canadian International Development Agency gives an average of $25 million a year to help Palestinians and their government. But much of that flows through aid agencies and the UN, so Ottawa is actually cutting just $7.3 million.
That money includes:
* $6.3 million between 2005 and 2008 for housing rehabilitation and policy development.
* $400,000 to study helping Ramallah to refurbish and manage its industrial park.
* $600,000 so the Palestinian justice minister can meet justice ministers from Israel, Jordan and Egypt.
MacKay said Ottawa does not want to hurt individual Palestinians, so it's looking at redirecting the money to directly help people "and hopefully in the same amount."
MacKay and International Co-operation Minister Josée Verner announced the change just after the Hamas cabinet was formally sworn in on Wednesday.
Hamas replaced Fatah as the dominant Palestinian political party after winning the parliamentary election in January.
Canada and other countries had threatened to withdraw funding from the Palestinian Authority, which performs many government functions in the West Bank and Gaza, unless Hamas amended its policies.
Canada will resume payments to the Palestinian Authority only if Hamas agrees to change its policies, MacKay said.
The Hamas cabinet of 24 members includes 14 who have been jailed by the Israelis.
Israel has stopped paying the Palestinian Authority tens of millions of dollars in taxes it collects on the authority's behalf, and will consider additional sanctions.
It has forbidden Hamas leaders from travelling between the West Bank and Gaza, so there were two ceremonies to swear in the new cabinet.
Ismail Haniyeh, the new prime minister, was sworn in by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Gaza.
Abbas, a moderate, was elected in a separate vote last year. He heads Fatah. |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, I DID miss that- thanks. The big news here is that a soldier was killed in a firefight in Afghanistan, so that's all the news has and everything else in the world (Israeli elections, Hamas) is taking a distant back seat to that. |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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The US is doing the something very similar.
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The existing U.S. "no contact" order forbade diplomats from dealing with groups deemed to be terrorist organizations. It also required all contractors receiving U.S. funding to sign pledges promising they would have no contact with such groups. Audits are conducted to make sure they keep their word.
The State Department issued a travel warning February 27, banning all U.S. government employees from traveling in the West Bank or Gaza except on "mission-critical business."
The warning said American employees of the embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, and the consulate in Jerusalem, were not allowed to use public transportation or patronize discos or nightclubs. |
Meanwhile the EU continues to warn Hamas sternly about changing its policies. The EU convinced the US to send funding to Abbas' caretaker government through until about now, but it appears that the US and Canada balk at giving aid to Hamas. I wonder what the EU's reaction will be.
1: Distributed through World Bank $85m
2: For Isr/Pal integration $12m
3: For UN relief (UNRWA) $77m
4: Food aid $35m
5: Humanitarian aid $33m
6: Special projects $24m
7: Infrastructure $72m
8: Other donations by member states $262m
EU TOTAL: $600m
1: Unused funds from 2003/04 financial year $175m
2: To pay PA debts $20m
3: Spending on new Gaza infrastructure $50m
4: USAID projects $155m
US TOTAL: $400m
Sources: EU, US |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:33 am Post subject: |
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France is spearheading the drive to continue EU Funding to Hamas. How predictable is that? Their country is being torn to shreds by Muslims, and they want to give their money to Hamas terrorists.
Hamas urges EU not to end funding
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4661066.stm
More EU funds for Hamas government
http://www.spainherald.com/2926.html
Many acts of Palestinian terror have been funded by the EU.
Europe is really pathetic when it comes to doing the right thing.
Well done Canada and the US for stopping funding. |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 9:48 am Post subject: |
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| I'd be willing to bet that Canada will reverse any decision on Hamas funding once Hamas is ready to sit down at the table again with the Israelis (which, if it wants to retain the reigns of govt, it will have to do). Likewise for the US. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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| That's the way they have to do it. If they didn't, they'd be legitimizing Hamas' tactics. |
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fiveeagles
Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: Vancouver
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Bulsajo wrote: |
| I'd be willing to bet that Canada will reverse any decision on Hamas funding once Hamas is ready to sit down at the table again with the Israelis (which, if it wants to retain the reigns of govt, it will have to do). Likewise for the US. |
Isn't that point? |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Yup. Sorry if I was pointing out the obvious to most, we all know there are people on this board who require the obvious to be pointed out to them (and even then it doesn't really sink in). |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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Didn't the good old U S of A do it first????? Whereas before we were just a cosmetic version of Uncle Sam, now we are their echo...........So much for that frayed myth of Canadian impartiality, sober second thoughts, consultation, diplomatic acumen and peacemongering.....
I'm sure from now on when George takes a crap we will be running to wipe up........yeah what else is Canada good for but Pulp and paper products? Canada is tired, pooped out of ideas...........echoechoechoechoecho
DD
A mythological Canadian |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 5:24 am Post subject: |
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| ddeubel wrote: |
Didn't the good old U S of A do it first????? Whereas before we were just a cosmetic version of Uncle Sam, now we are their echo...........So much for that frayed myth of Canadian impartiality, sober second thoughts, consultation, diplomatic acumen and peacemongering.....
I'm sure from now on when George takes a crap we will be running to wipe up........yeah what else is Canada good for but Pulp and paper products? Canada is tired, pooped out of ideas...........echoechoechoechoecho
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DD
A mythological Canadian |
Actually both the U.S.A and Canada formally cut ties on the same day.
And good for them too. Put a financial stranglehold on them and maybe they'll see the light. And that includes leaning on any Arab state that might try to send some money their way. |
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