Hamas feels the consequences of its policies

NY Times:

The United States and the European Union announced Friday that they would halt payments to the Hamas-led Palestinian government but that aid would flow to Palestinians through the United Nations and other independent organizations.

"The new Palestinian government must take responsibility for the consequences of its policies," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, citing the failure of the Hamas-led government to meet donors' demands that it recognize Israel, renounce violence and respect previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements.

The United States cutoff would affect $400 million of aid that has not yet been expended. Of that sum, however, about $100 million would be redirected to the United Nations and other non-Palestinian groups to spend for basic human needs like food, health and schools.

The total for these "humanitarian" programs would rise to $245 million because of the redirected funds. But that left $300 million in aid owed to the Palestinians suspended pending further review.

State Department officials said they were suspending $300 million partly because there were not enough organizations in the West Bank and Gaza to carry out programs. Officials said no American money would be given to the executive branch of government led by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, who has criticized the Hamas leadership for failing to reach out to Israel.

...


Update: The Officer's Club notes a conflicting message from Hamas. It appears bluntness about their strategy has not worked for them so they have decided to go for double speak, while continuing to maintain their charter calling for the destruction of Israel. As long as that is their charter, their own destruction is more likely.

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