Wednesday, March 29, 2006


TORONTO — Canada said Wednesday it was suspending assistance to the Palestinian Authority because the new Hamas-led government refuses to renounce violence and recognize Israel.

Hamas formally took power Wednesday, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swearing in its 24-member Cabinet, including 14 ministers who served time in Israeli prisons.

Hamas and new Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh insist they won't soften the militant group's violent ideology or formally recognize its longtime nemesis.

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said in a statement that Canada had no choice but to suspend assistance and decline any contact with the new Hamas Cabinet.


wonder what other countries will follow

3/29/2006 2:04:52 PM

Canada hates freedom...

3/29/2006 3:40:32 PM

but how can they hate freedom and be against the turrists at the same time!


my mind is blown!

3/29/2006 5:34:05 PM

dmb

3/29/2006 6:35:53 PM

Quote :

"wonder what other countries will follow"

Not this one.

3/29/2006 8:22:48 PM

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"Canada hates freedom..."

That explains the socialist healthcare

3/29/2006 8:25:39 PM

http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-04-07T184644Z_01_WAT005247_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST-PALESTININANS-USA.xml

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"US freezes aid to Palestinian government WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has decided to suspend direct assistance to the Hamas-led Palestinian government, while increasing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians through U.N. agencies, the State Department said on Friday. "Because the new Hamas-led Palestinian government has failed to accept the Quartet principles of non-violence, recognition of Israel, and respect for previous agreements between the parties, the United States is suspending assistance to the Palestinian government's cabinet and ministries," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack. Quoting a statement by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, he said the suspension would be lifted if the Palestinian Cabinet met the terms laid out by the Quartet -- the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia. "The path back to the road map is clear: acceptance of the three principles. If it accepts the Quartet principles or a new government comes to power that accepts them, funding can be restored," the statement said. U.S. humanitarian aid to the Palestinians through U.N. relief agencies and non-governmental organizations that are not affiliated with the Palestinian Authority would be increased by 57 percent this year to $245 million, he said. The aid plan also includes an additional $42 million to strengthen civil society and independent institutions, the statement said. Earlier on Friday, the EU Commission said it had halted payments to the government because the new cabinet had not recognized Israel's right to exist or renounced violence. Hamas' charter officially calls for Israel's destruction. The decision by the EU, which regards Hamas as a terrorist group, was condemned by Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas leader whose cabinet took office last week."

I mean, we're still giving money to those corrupt, sexually delinquent terrorists over at the U.N., but at least it's not going directly the Palestineans.

4/7/2006 4:31:18 PM

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"Canada hates freedom the democratic process..."

4/7/2006 7:50:17 PM

I can't say I'm a fan of Hamas...

and I will admit to not being an expert on their actions since assuming power

but I'm of the opinion that we should dangle the carrot before resorting to swinging the stick.

4/7/2006 9:02:19 PM

every carrot for 5000 miles has been dangled since 1987

4/7/2006 10:14:07 PM

Canada isn't a democracy, but I'm not sure if it's really socialism or if it's more like socialist communism ... what IS Canada? Besides mostly covered in ice

4/7/2006 10:26:06 PM

^^i concur, and don't expect it to be any different now. I fully expect to have to not only use the stick, but break out a bigger stick.

however, I would give the carrot approach one last honest effort, in hopes that they would legitimize their operation in light of their newfound power, instead of just using it as a vehicle for fucking things up on a grander scale.

4/7/2006 10:36:02 PM

"honest effort"

HAHAHAHAHA...

You got me crying over that one.

4/8/2006 8:48:49 PM

I'm talking about how I'd personally handle it.

4/8/2006 9:48:27 PM

No doubt.

I'm just laughing at the idea of us actually handling it that way.

I imagine our diplomatic effort will be as honest as it was in Iraq.

4/8/2006 9:50:17 PM

Hamas' first carrot: A decision to abstain from using one tactic of terror.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1750028,00.html?gusrc=rss

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"Hamas in call to end suicide bombings Hamas is to abandon its use of suicide bombers, who have killed almost 300 Israelis, in any future confrontations with Israel, its activists have told The Observer. The Islamic group, which leads the Palestinian Authority, says, however, that it may resort to other forms of violence if there is no progress towards Palestinian statehood. Yihiyeh Musa, a Hamas member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said Hamas had moved into a 'new era' which did not require suicide attacks. 'The suicide bombings happened in an exceptional period and they have now stopped,' he said. 'They came to an end as a change of belief.' As Hamas toned down its rhetoric, Israel increased pressure on the Palestinians, particularly in Gaza. Two militants were killed in an airstrike near Gaza City yesterday and five men and a five-year-old boy were killed on Friday night. Each day hundreds of artillery shells are fired by Israel at northern Gaza. Palestinian factional tension is also high and the price of commodities such as flour and sugar has more than doubled as a result of Israel closing border crossings. Hamas is keen to gain acceptance from the international community. On Friday the European Union announced it was stopping direct funding of the PA, while the United States has halted aid projects. Hamas needs outside funding of $150m each month to pay PA wages or else the Palestinian economy will collapse. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, warned in an interview published yesterday that any attempt by Israel unilaterally to impose unjust borders on the Palestinians would lead to another war within 10 years. Hamas was the first Palestinian group to use suicide bombers and its tactics provided inspiration for Islamic insurgents and terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, the US and Europe. Hamas declared a ceasefire last year and in January was elected to lead the Palestinian Authority. However, despite the ceasefire, Hamas still carries the legacy of its suicide attacks on Israeli civilians. Musa said Hamas only embarked on suicide bombing campaigns as a response to extreme provocations by Israel, such as the killing of 29 Palestinians in Hebron in 1993. It had been a policy of desperation. According to the Israeli army, since October 2000, Hamas carried out 51 suicide attacks, killing 272 Israelis. Islamic Jihad and the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade carried out 34 each, killing 98 and 80 Israelis respectively. Almost 5,000 people, mostly Palestinians, have been killed over that period. Many Palestinians believe that suicide bombing damaged their cause, portraying them, not Israel, as the aggressors. 'The occupation government with its outside allies succeeded in labelling all Palestinians as terrorists as a result of the suicide bombings,' said Musa. Ghazi Hamed, the spokesman for the government, said in future any military action would be restricted to the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel. Israel and the international community have demanded that Hamas recognise Israel and renounce violence as a precondition to normalising relations but it has so far refused. The ascent of Hamas to political power has led its leaders to modify its positions but opinion is divided as to whether this is a fundamental change or a tactical expedient. Israel says Hamas remains true to its original aims, as stated in its charter, of destroying the state of Israel. Mordechai Kedar, a political scientist at Bar-Ilan University, near Tel Aviv, said Hamas's rejection of violence was tactical. 'If they succeed in stabilising their state then they will take out their different agenda and start where they left off. For months they have been smuggling long-range missiles. They are preparing for the next phase but for the time being they have more urgent problems,' he said. Other commentators say Hamas has always had a moderate wing. Khaled Hroub, director of the Cambridge Arab Media Project and the author of Hamas: Political Thought and Practice, said that even among members of Hamas, suicide bombing was controversial. 'If one looks at the conduct of Hamas in 1996 there was huge controversy even in the ranks of Hamas over its bombing campaign. Hroub says Hamas has the potential to make the transition to a purely political organisation. 'The concept of the two-state solution is now the cornerstone of their thinking. I doubt we will see the old Hamas again,' he said. Hamas now finds itself turning from poacher to gamekeeper. Islamic Jihad and the Fatah-linked Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade have said they will continue to attack Israel. But Hamas fears that if armed groups are carrying out attacks and firing missiles, it will make its government look weak. Hamas hopes to persuade other groups to stop their attacks but insists it will be be prepared to use force."

4/9/2006 7:32:52 PM

They'll probably make an announcement tomorrow saying that they were misquoted or misunderstood. They function the same way as Iran and North Korea, constantly contradicting themselves by making consessions and then backtracking.

4/9/2006 7:39:07 PM

you mean they dont mean it literally?

4/9/2006 8:31:02 PM