- Title: WEST BANK: Palestinians demonstrate against U.S.
- Date: 5th October 2011
- Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (OCTOBER 4, 2011) (REUTERS) MAN HOLDING SIGN READING 'YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN BOYCOTT USA' VARIOUS OF CONVOY CARRYING US DIPLOMATS ARRIVING TO US CONSULATE IN RAMALLAH WHILE DOZENS OF PALESTINIANS CHANTING AND WAVING SIGNS RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (OCTOBER 2, 2011) (REUTERS) PALESTINIAN ECONOMY MINISTER HASSAN ABU LIBDA ENTERING OFFICE PALESTINIAN FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN ECONOMY MINISTER HASSAN ABU LIBDA, SAYING: "This is an adverse decision and is political par excellance, that turns the American Congress into one of the tools of Israeli pressure on the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). But, I would like to disclaim that the amounts that are being talked about is not aid to the PNA, but funds to implement projects on the ground in the Palestinian territories." RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (OCTOBER 4, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS MORE OF CONVOY ARRIVING AND PEOPLE DEMONSTRATING WOMAN HOLDING SIGN IN ARABIC READING 'OUR PEOPLE...LET'S VETO AMERICA' MORE OF SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DEMONSTRATOR, ARIJ HLELE, SAYING: "We refuse any American intereference in Palestinian issues and we refuse US funding and we demand that Palestinian organization cut off relations with American organizations." WOMAN HOLDING SIGN IN ENGLISH READING 'OBAMA: YOUR VISION IS SHORT-SIGHTED' VARIOUS OF US CONVOY DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING 'SHAME ON YOU'
- Embargoed: 20th October 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: West bank, West bank
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA4PQ6CR4CMVIG3TIQUO7BWDDAI
- Story Text: Dozens of Palestinians chanted and waved signs outside of the United States consulate in the West Bank city of Ramallah after a threat of freezing some $200 million in aid.
U.S. Congress members opposed to a Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations threatened to freeze aid on economic and humanitarian projects deemed vital for peace in the Middle East.
Demonstrators chanted 'USAID go home', and 'Shame on you', and waved signs reading 'Obama: your vision is short-sighted,' as convoys carrying U.S diplomats arrived to the consulate.
Palestinian diplomats said the freeze on money approved for the Palestinians this year, mixes politics with practical efforts to build peace with Israel and establish a Palestinian state.
The Palestinian Authority cabinet, in a statement issued after its weekly meeting on Tuesday, "expressed hope that the U.S Congress would reconsider the freezing of aid allocated to the Palestinian National Authority".
"This is an adverse decision and is political par excellance, that turns the American Congress into one of the tools of Israeli pressure on the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). But, I would like to disclaim that the amounts that are being talked about is not aid to the PNA, but funds to implement projects on the ground in the Palestinian territories," Economy Minister Hassan Abu Libda said.
Projects under way with USAID for the past three years include a five-year development of the health sector, training medical and administrative staffers, rehabilitating hospitals and equipping them.
"We refuse any American intereference in Palestinian issues and we refuse US funding and we demand that Palestinian organization cut off relations with American organizations," demonstrator Arij Hlele told Reuters Television.
U.S. President Barack Obama is lobbying Congress to unblock the aid, although he has also warned the Palestinians that seeking statehood via a U.N. vote cannot be a substitute for a negotiated peace treaty with Israel.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas last month submitted a formal application to the U.N. Security Council for recognition of Palestinian statehood, ignoring a U.S. threat to veto the measure if it is put to vote.
Palestinians say Obama's veto threat was a clear indication that Washington was not a genuine "honest broker" in diplomatic efforts to resolve the 63-year-old Middle East conflict. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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