U.S. lawmaker blocks money for Palestinian forces
Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) - A Bush administration request for $86 million in U.S. funds to help train and equip Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's security forces is being blocked by a U.S. lawmaker who has concerns about how the money might be used. "Early last week, I placed a hold on the $86 million," Rep. Nita Lowey, a New York Democrat, told Reuters on Tuesday. "It is imperative that we have a fuller understanding of exactly what the funding is for and what the situation is on the ground," said Lowey, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, which controls U.S. funding for domestic and foreign projects. While Lowey said she had acted to hold up the money before last week's deal between Abbas and Hamas leaders to form a unity government, that agreement "raised additional questions." Lowey said she has asked the State Department to provide more information on how the $86 million would be used. Late last year, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sketched out the administration's desire to provide money to strengthen Abbas' security forces in the face of infighting between the Palestinian leader's Fatah party and Hamas, which won elections a year ago. The Bush administration wants Hamas to renounce violence and recognize Israel as a condition for ending a Western aid boycott. Until these conditions are met, under U.S. law Hamas could not get any of the $86 million.The unity agreement, signed by the ruling Hamas movement and Abbas's Fatah faction, makes no explicit commitment to recognize Israel or renounce violence.The money, if approved by the U.S. Congress, would help train Abbas's National Security Forces, the closest thing the Palestinians have to an army. There are an estimated 40,000 members, according to Palestinian estimates, although Western diplomats say the number of active forces is about half that. Neither Lowey nor aides specified what information she wants from the State Department to convince her to lift her hold on the $86 million.
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