U.S. reviews giving money to Palestinian forces
Source: Reuters
By Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON, March 5 (Reuters) - Under pressure from Congress, the United States said on Monday it is reviewing its plan to provide $86 million to train and equip security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The reason for the review is a proposed national unity government to be formed by Abbas' Fatah faction and by Hamas, which leads the current Palestinian government but which the United States regards as a foreign terrorist organization. U.S. law bars giving taxpayer funds to such groups. The national unity government, if one is formed, would bring Fatah and Hamas members under one umbrella and has forced the State Department to rethink its plan, which was originally designed to strengthen Abbas' forces against those of Hamas. "We're going to take a look at -- and we are looking at right now -- the totality of the $86 million," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. "The bottom line is ... our intention is to move forward with the program. Now whether or not that includes the full $86 million will depend upon the answers to the questions that we have and ... that the Congress has," he added. Rep. Nita Lowey, a New York Democrat who chairs the House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees the State Department budget, has placed a hold on providing the money and she got support from several other key lawmakers on Monday. "The fact that Fatah will now join a government led by Hamas terrorists -- and will do so with Abbas's blessing -- raises serious questions about the commitments and loyalties of the Palestinian security forces we have undertaken to assist," the two top members of House Foreign Affairs Committee said in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "Questions arise as to whether these forces will be strictly under Abbas's control and whether Abbas, in line with our long-time belief, is truly committed to peace and non-violence," wrote the panel's chairman, California Democrat Tom Lantos, and top Republican, Florida's Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. "We urge you not to go forward with this package until such time as these questions can be answered clearly," they said. The U.S. plan includes $35.5 million to provide non-lethal equipment, including riot gear and communications equipment, to Abbas's National Security Forces and $25.9 million to provide non-lethal equipment to his elite presidential guard. The National Security Forces are viewed by many Palestinians to be the equivalent of an army, though it is poorly trained and equipped in comparison to the smaller presidential guard. A U.S. official who asked not to be named said it was an open question whether the National Security Forces would report only to Abbas under a national unity government, suggesting if they did not it may be impossible for the United States to fund them.
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