EU getting tired of rebuilding Gaza
posted at 10:55 am on January 26, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Even the EU has finally begun to realize that Hamas makes a lousy partner for peace. In assessing the situation after the war, the EU’s aid chief denounced Hamas as a terrorist organization and expressed impatience with spending more money on the same infrastructure, thanks to Hamas’ actions:
Hamas bears full responsibility for the war in Gaza, a top EU official said Monday in the Strip, calling the group “a terrorist movement.”
overwhelming responsibility of Hamas,” Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, told reporters.
“I intentionally say this here – Hamas is a terrorist movement and it has to be denounced as such,” Michel said as he visited the town of Jabalya in northern Gaza.
“Public opinion is fed up to see that we are paying over and over again – be it the (European) commission, the member states or the major donors – for infrastructure that will be systematically destroyed,” he said.
The EU will send €59 million to the Palestinians, although Michel explicitly stated that Hamas would see none of it. They will spend half of that on repairs in Gaza, and the other half on refugee centers outside of Gaza. Unfortunately, as Michel understands, this is the equivalent of setting fire to a pile of euros, because Hamas will eventually provoke another war in Gaza and the repairs will get destroyed … again.
Europe’s attachment to the Palestinians almost amounts to an addiction, but Michel may have begun the first step to recovery. An addict has to admit the problem exists before the addiction can stop. The EU has finally seen that infusions of cash only bolster Hamas by handing them credit for foreign investment. That allows Hamas to build political strength — so that they can destroy the investments and start the cycle all over again.
Time to end the cycle of addiction. Europe needs to make Gaza go cold turkey. No more investments while Hamas remains in charge. Send humanitarian aid, but end all infrastucture projects until the Gazans give Hamas the boot. If we want an end to the cycle of violence in Gaza, Hamas has to go, and the only way to ensure that is to cut off as much of their foreign support as possible.
Blowback
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Suckers, meet the black hole.
JammieWearingFool on January 26, 2009 at 10:58 AM
LEAVE
WELL
ENOUGH
ALONE
Want Hamas to stop starting fights? Let the Israeli’s pound them into the dirt.
leetpriest on January 26, 2009 at 10:59 AM
When will Palestinians get tired of Hamas monsters and Fatah criminals?
Mr. Joe on January 26, 2009 at 10:59 AM
b-b-but… infrastructure building is an economic stimulus!!!
Skywise on January 26, 2009 at 10:59 AM
It’s time to call in Terminex to kill off all the vermin there. I thought Israel was doing a fine job of that before, though.
stonemeister on January 26, 2009 at 11:01 AM
+1
BUT, will we see the Euros backtrack on this? Will there be statements made that disavow Louis Michel?
toliver on January 26, 2009 at 11:01 AM
How un(word that’s the equivalent to patriotic in a homeworld sense)! They’re against the international-moneyhole!
- The Cat
MirCat on January 26, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Gaza and the West Bank could be the Palestinian State. Israel dimantled settlements in Gaza (or did you miss that one Tom Friedman) and would likely dismantle many settlements on the West Bank if it resulted in true peace. Israel is a bit paranoid of Palestinian intentions, given that suicide bombers and murderers are treated like Rock Stars in Gaza and on the West Bank.
Mr. Joe on January 26, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Michel denounced for “hate speech” in 4, 3, 2…
Bigfoot on January 26, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Fixed it for ya!
clnurnberg on January 26, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Why continue humanitarian aid even? I don’t want to sound like cold-hearted bastidge, but if the Palestinians had a viable nation they would be able to do more with what they have.
A starving population might make them finally, FINALLY decide that their conduct needs to be modified, including not training successive generations to act like savages.
Bishop on January 26, 2009 at 11:07 AM
and in other news…
http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKTRE50P29520090126
scalleywag on January 26, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Well, now Obama’s here to pick up the slack with our money. I think he’s pledged to help Gaza rebuild. Exit question: how much of our money ends up in Hamas’ hands and how many Hamas members get their own houses rebuilt with it?
CP on January 26, 2009 at 11:08 AM
The addiction goes both ways, so I don’t see it ending soon.
Phoenician on January 26, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Send humanitarian aid? OK. I’m not an ogre.
But, have it distributed directly by recognized established aid groups with a track record of success…i.e., keep the UN away from any of it, except for transportation, and keep Hamas away from it…completely…making sure that Hamas cannot use food distribution as a means to show they are in charge, nor can Hamas derive any benefit at all from any aid rendered.
(Otherwise, maybe leave aid to Gaza in the hands of the Arab League members…solely…make the fellow Arab states pay for all of it…they got petrodollars to burn…then see how long Hamas and a lot of Palestinians live.)
Hamas is playing the world, and has been, like a spoiled child acting up in a grocery store…most parents will try to bribe the little bastard to not cause a scene. Some parents will slap the kid silly, in front of God and Piggly-Wiggly, only to have outside authorities come to the rescue of the kid. A few parents will have already taught the kid that such behavior has direct consequences.
The point is, appeasement and making excuses and giving meaningless “time outs” does little in child rearing, and makes for a petulant undiscipline child, who grows to be the same as an adult.
Maybe, the Euros are finally at long last seeing the error of their ways as Islamicism takes over more and more of Europe. Too little too late? Maybe. But, it may be well time for Europe to stand up and be Europeans…not some milquetoast version of the American Left.
coldwarrior on January 26, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Finally many sucker-hearted Europeans are starting to wake up to the truth about the incorrigible basket case Palestinians – takes big hits in their money pockets to do this.
Chessplayer on January 26, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Then quit rebuilding. Let them all move to Murtha’s district.
kingsjester on January 26, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Bi
I agree.
CP on January 26, 2009 at 11:09 AM
This is less about Hamas, than it is about the Euro Economy.
Unlike America, the EU is waking up to the fact that THEY need help… and you don’t throw money away on feel good stuff, when you can’t pay your heating bills in winter.
The world went on a spending bing when we thought we were rich enough to do anything… but we were going in debt while giving that money away.
Expect to see some really tight fisted policys coming out of most of the world… America will follow once the Dems are out of power, but not until.
Romeo13 on January 26, 2009 at 11:09 AM
When there are no more Jews to blame for all their problems.
MarkTheGreat on January 26, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Leave Gaza alone. Let Iran pay to rebuild it./
saiga on January 26, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Wasn’t Hamas recently found to be selling aid to the highest bidders? If only there were a way to make sure only the needy got help and not the terrorists who will exploit their own people. The scenario reminds me of the snake fable…”you knew I was a snake when you picked me up.”
scalleywag on January 26, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Spend the money on eliminating tunnels from Egypt. It will pay a much bigger peace dividend. Also, greenhouses in Gaza probably isn’t a wise investment till they learn how to use them properly.
a capella on January 26, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Thankfully, by then, San Fran Nan will have all our contraception needs fully funded.
a capella on January 26, 2009 at 11:18 AM
Exit question: how much of our money ends up in Hamas’ hands and how many Hamas members get their own houses rebuilt with it?
CP on January 26, 2009 at 11:08 AM
You are obviously a NeoCon Dope™; paying for the rebuilding of Palestinian crap piles every year is good for the American economy.
It uses concrete from Egypt, glass from Syria, lumber from Jordan, steel from Lebanon and construction workers from all of those nations.
If you can’t see how that benefits the United States economy, then you need to get your skull trepanned.
Bishop on January 26, 2009 at 11:18 AM
Why the hell is the EU, in the middle of the greatest economic crisis of the last generation, sending 60 million euros to the Palestinians?!?
madne0 on January 26, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Dodge and weave.
This gives the AP and Reuters a perfect opportunity to saturate American media with the unfortunate condition of the PALs in Gaza.
Enter Barry on a noble steed (and your tax dollars). The world will love us again.
Limerick on January 26, 2009 at 11:21 AM
We shall see if the Muslim street in Europe will allow this. Perhaps some targeted bombing of subways and such will restore the aid to Hamas, and end Mr. Michel’s career.
JiangxiDad on January 26, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Quick…someone inform the mainstream media in the U.S. that even Europe recognizes the Hamas is to blame.
jediwebdude on January 26, 2009 at 11:24 AM
As noted above, it probably won’t go on much longer. European politicians are having to choose between re-election(bought with local goodies) or sending that same purchasing power to Gazans who can’t re-elect them. Prioritization is hard when it hasn’t been necessary in the past.
a capella on January 26, 2009 at 11:27 AM
There have been a number of us getting really annoyed at this for years and if this turns out to be true then I will be one happy bunny, however I will believe it when I see it, I expect in 3 months time our elites will be turning the taps on again so don’t get your hopes up too high…
TrueBrit on January 26, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Gaza is like the EU’s bad boyfriend.
- The Cat
MirCat on January 26, 2009 at 11:29 AM
“The EU has finally seen that infusions of cash only bolster Hamas by handing them credit for foreign investment.”
Europe has money problems, Ed. The “Hamas is a terrorist group” is just a convenient, and readily handy, excuse for Louis Michel to use so as respond to the situation without also suggesting they are up #$*@’s creek.
Dusty on January 26, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Reasoned discouse during negotiations is a trademark of Hamas and the Arab street. As such, the knowlege of where his family lives and his children’s school schedules is simply for discussion background only.
a capella on January 26, 2009 at 11:33 AM
They shouldn’t send them a dime. Maybe the Palestine People will wake up. That money won’t help the people but just more terror.
sheebe on January 26, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Truly, I was surprised that Michel made the statement inside Gaza. A brave man, but perhaps not fully aware of where he is and who he works for.
JiangxiDad on January 26, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Back in the 80′s, when Mengistu was buying tanks and bombs for his Ethiopian regime, while his people starved, visibly, in front of the world, the Left do-gooders got together and sang “We Are The World.”
Jump forward to now: Hamas is using its foreign currency to buy weapons…several thousand dollars for a crude solid propellent rocket to sail ten miles into Israel, anti-tank rockets? A few thousand each, for the cheap ones, on average about $500 for each AK-47, about the same for each RPG (multiply each by several thousands) and other weapons, with far larger price tags and Hamas draws a salary (wonder what the pay scale is?). Hamas has money.
Each dollar given in “aid” if left non-accountable allows Hamas to spend foreign currency on weapons and to comfrot their leadership, while giving them video and photos of their starving masses, all Israel’s fault, of course.
Meantime, while those few Gazans whop try to build a business and a future find their business or home is destroyed because Hamas insists that they provide shelter for Hamas thugs who have no qualms about firing an anti-tank rocket from someone’s bedroom window…
But the Left, seems to believe that sending money is the best way to show how wonderful they are. Never mind how the money is spent. Just keep sending it. If you don’t send money, then you are a racist cold-hearted bastard.
Back a decade or so: After we knocked Mengistu out of Addis, a lot of aid workers were giving money to Ethiopians…only to find that the money was collected several times a day from neighborhood bosses. We started printing “vouchers” so that the people who got them could go to one of several aid centers in Addis to get foods, clean water and clothing and the like, specific to their needs…no money changed hands. The neighborhood bosses raised hell. But, at least the people got to eat.
coldwarrior on January 26, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Hamas is on the wrong track. They need to open some planned parenthood clinics. Guaranteed money.
Johan Klaus on January 26, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Yep!
Halli Casser-Jayne
http://www.thecjpoliticalreport.com
The CJ Political Report on January 26, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Crashed and burned. Firewalls + ads + LukeSkywalker = End Program. Sorry.
Limerick on January 26, 2009 at 11:51 AM
It seems some think Hamas is holding Gaza “hostage” and that the poor Palis need to be freed from their tyranny and restored to statesmen like Fatah. The Palis are all Muslim Jew hating Jackals right down to their children, all of them. They are the whipping boys of Islam and must fight and wail until Israel is no more. Their souls are black and they cannot be reached or reasoned with.
BL@KBIRD on January 26, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Obama can send them $4 Billion in grass seed and let them so if it is indeed greener on the other side.
izoneguy on January 26, 2009 at 11:58 AM
An EU official said this?? Someone check the temperature in Hades.
irishspy on January 26, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Dead on. Even if the money is only spent on rebuilding infrastructure, the practical effect is that Hamas doesn’t have to do the work themselves, so it’s the same as funding Hamas.
RightOFLeft on January 26, 2009 at 12:05 PM
The people holding the record for the longest running refugee status while rejecting any 2 state solution need to realize that irrational positions are only feasible when you are actually taking care of yourself.
Cut or the funding and hope that they grow up.
Laurence on January 26, 2009 at 12:12 PM
I’m really close to agreeing with that, but I can’t get around the fact that kids would starve when they don’t have to. If there’s any possibility we can put enough pressure on the Palestinians to dump Hamas without allowing a humanitarian disaster, we have to at least try.
RightOFLeft on January 26, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Hmmm, I wonder what happened in the last 3 months to make Europeans so attached to their moneys…
runner on January 26, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Dear friends:
Trust but verify.
Sincerely,
Ronaldus Magnus
Mike D. on January 26, 2009 at 12:26 PM
One primary reason Hamas and friends can continue to use all their money for war is that the EU and US give the Palestinians enough money that they don’t need to produce anything.
Cut off all funds and force the Palestinians to use their time and efforts to care for themselves instead of jihad.
18-1 on January 26, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Its interesting to look at Europe, which after WWII saw plenty of refugees and had resettled them almost immediately. Or for that matter Israel, which had to resettle Jewish refugees after the Palestinians allies ethnically cleansed them.
I’m sure the Saudis would love to take in all the refugees right? They always come to their aide diplomatically, and it isn’t like the Saudis don’t have the money…
18-1 on January 26, 2009 at 12:34 PM
With the jizya the US and EU have sent them over the years, every Palestinian man, woman and child could have had a house, a car, and a farm. Instead, the elites frolic in Paris and stuff their Swiss bank accounts.
Their leaders are responsible for their terrible condition, no one else.
PattyJ on January 26, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Hamas basically carries on terrorism for money operation, with the UN and Europe supplying the bulk of the funds. The statement that Hamas will see none of the aid is ludicrous. Hamas is like a gang, ruling by intimidation (regardless of their initial electoral victory) and rules with an iron hand in Gaza. Any aid sent there is taken by Hamas and resold to the people of Gaza or elsewhere to fuel the booming industry of terror.
There was an excellent article in Forbes recently describing the UNRWA/Hamas business partnership. The UN is not a neutral body, and UNRWA is even less so. Since a healthy share of the UN and UNRWA’s budget comes from the US, we are complicit.
The US did not supply the Nazis with “humanitarian” aid while they fought the war. The whole scam is ludicrous. Aid should not be the reward for pursuing an agenda of terrorism.
DaMav on January 26, 2009 at 12:51 PM
These statements are contradictory. Humanitarian aid goes towards weapons. Going cold turkey would mean ending all aid.
UNRWA is funded by the U.S. (31%), the European Union (nearly 50%) and only 7% of the funds come from Muslim sources.
The US and EU should end all aid to the pseudostinians and let the OIC decide whether take up the slack or not.
aengus on January 26, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Well, Europe creates the state of Israel outta land lived on by others, Palestine.
Then they make the people there second-class citizens and give the Jews free-reign because of Holocaust guilt.
This is an awful situation the British and the Europeans put the world in (just like Pakistan and India) and now they are tired of it????
Well, they made the problem, they better friggin’ fix it!
stefystef on January 26, 2009 at 12:54 PM
And in terms of the EU, did you notice this:
“Public opinion is fed up to see that we are paying over and over again – be it the (European) commission, the member states or the major donors – for infrastructure that will be systematically destroyed,” he said.”
No mention of the tax payers, only the Commission, the Governments of each country and major donars whoever that may be, while people like me who begrduges every single cent spent on the Palestinians can go to hell as I don’t matter, typical EU.
TrueBrit on January 26, 2009 at 12:55 PM
I’m really close to agreeing with that, but I can’t get around the fact that kids would starve when they don’t have to. If there’s any possibility we can put enough pressure on the Palestinians to dump Hamas without allowing a humanitarian disaster, we have to at least try.
[RightOFLeft on January 26, 2009 at 12:14 PM]
I’d agree with you except that Fatah would then have to foment the same hatreds to maintain a sufficient unified front going forward.
Besides there are kids starving (among other horrors) that don’t have to in many other places in the world and if the world’s economic downturn is only half as bad as has been suggested, there will be a heck of a lot more of them in the next fews years. So, I’d prefer to spend the money where, efficiently and effectively, we can actually solve some problems and save our “ammo” so as to have available something to minimize some upcoming financial disasters.
Sixty years is too long. Enough is enough. It’s time for some cold turkey in Gaza. If it starts to become intolerable, the Gazans can appeal to the West Bankers for assistance.
Dusty on January 26, 2009 at 12:58 PM
your History teacher (if you ever went to school) should be fired. Jews have had an uninterrupted presence on that land for the last 3 thousand years. your precious philistines showed up a few hundred years ago, pissed on a rock and now claim that land as theirs. whats next, Andalusia ?
runner on January 26, 2009 at 1:04 PM
Hamas would only steal any and all humanitarian aid, whatever its intended purpose. They have already done that and they will do it again. They don’t give a damn about their people.
cheeflo on January 26, 2009 at 1:04 PM
your History teacher (if you ever went to school) should be fired. Jews have had an uninterrupted presence on that land for the last 3 thousand years. your precious philistines showed up a few hundred years ago, pissed on a rock and now claim that land as theirs. whats next, Andalusia ?
runner on January 26, 2009 at 1:04 PM
runner on January 26, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Many would say the Jews need to practice parenthood also.
Many Orthodox women are having many children…the Palestinians are just counter-birthing.
Someone over there is reading too much Mao- trying to increase the population to out-populate the opposing group…
stefystef on January 26, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Wow, your Jewish-leaning history is messed up. But of course, since history is written by the victor, you repeat the one-sided version from your Euro-centric history books.
The Jews didn’t find the land they were on 3 thousand years ago void of people. Of course people were there for centuries before them entering the land of Cannan. If you bothered to pick up a Bible, you’d know the battles for land that lasted for centuries- from Genesis to the end of the Hebrew Scriptures. Even the war with Rome is about controlling the land. The peoples that the tribes of Israel fought to take over the land of Cannan are still there and they aren’t leaving. The Jews have been fighting to get back a kingdom they lost 2 thousand years ago. If the Jews think they are sitting on “holy land”, so do Christians and Muslims. Funny how the oppressed becomes the oppressor. Happens all the time…
The day the United States stops being the “muscle” for Israel and shaping our foreign policy around Israel, this country will finally get respect on this planet.
stefystef on January 26, 2009 at 1:16 PM
an if you ever bothered to read the Bible you will find that the land of Israel is given to the Jews by the Creator and anyone else hanging around there is just a welcome or unwelcome guest.
runner on January 26, 2009 at 1:26 PM
that was concocted by arab apologists to saw strife between two good allies – the US and the State of Israel
runner on January 26, 2009 at 1:43 PM
No. None of this ‘stop everything but humanitarian aid’ bleeding-heart schlock. The Palestinians are not suffering from natural disasters, but from their own mindless stupidity. It’s high time other nations quit bailing them out and let them either make peace or Darwinize themselves.
Dark-Star on January 26, 2009 at 1:48 PM
But i thought that the folowers of the religion of Pieces
Guaranteed that if you just gave them more money
and free homes, schools, medical care
and jobs
they would then lay down their arms and live side by side
with the jews..
What ??
You mean the muslims LIED?
Say it aint so..
After all every liberal including Jimmy the FREAK carter
said if we woudl just stop resisting and surrender
that then their would be “peace in our time”
What do you mean they took advantage of the liberal STUPIDITY???
jcila on January 26, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Stefystef, who decides who’s “belligerently birthing” and who’s just “counter-birthing”?
Pity that European Muslim immigrants can’t be more like their “Palestinian” counterparts, huh pal? You see, European Muslims ARE “belligerently birthing”. It’s called the Demographic Jihad:
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2004/11/demographic-jihad-in-europe.html
You claim so-called “Palestinian” Muslims are doing so for the opposite reason. Then what about the reports that, for the first time in history, scores of non-Muslim areas all over the West Bank are transitioning from majority-NON-Muslim to majority-MUSLIM occupancy within a single generation? Not to mention what’s happened in Lebanon over the same time period? Not to mention the gradual elimination of non-Muslims from other Arab lands, a tradition that’s been alive and well all throughout the 20th century and into the 21st?
Your comment about Mao is amusing indeed, given that Mao never advocated Jihad of any kind, demographic or otherwise. Demographic jihad, on the other hand, is a 1000-plus-year tradition.
RD on January 26, 2009 at 1:52 PM
But wait a second here ..
the liberal elistists told us this was because
all of these islamic nazis were just poor disenfranchised
muslims who would be nice to us infidels
If only we gave them
Billions of dollars
Free aid
Free homes
Free land
Free jobs
Free healthcare
jcila on January 26, 2009 at 3:32 PM
Kick me.
argos on January 26, 2009 at 3:34 PM
No “humanitarian aid” into the hands of an inhuman regime. Every dollar, pound or euro spent on “humanitarian aid” is money Hamas can forego spending there and can use instead for creating in Israel a need for humanitarian aid.
Tzetzes on January 26, 2009 at 4:59 PM