Israel Matzav

Europe financing 'Palestinian' building in Area C... with Israeli cooperation?

While we Israelis were not always smart enough to build in Judea and Samaria when we had the chance, we used to at least be smart enough not to let anyone else build in close proximity to where we had built already. No more. The ever-generous Europeans with their failing economies are putting up 7 million euros to 'develop' 'Palestinian villages' in Area C - the area of Judea and Samaria that is under total Israeli control and in which Jewish cities and towns are located - and Israel is cooperating with the Europeans.

All Israeli settlements are located in Area C. Israeli and Palestinian activists believe that all development in the area is part of the ongoing battle for final sovereignty.

However, the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria says that it has a responsibility to help Palestinians in Area C develop their communities.

Earlier this week, the European Union approved an action plan that sets out its relations for the next five years with the Palestinian Authority.

Although the text of the plan has yet to be published, the EU has already reported that part of it focuses on helping Palestinians development of Area C. To that end, it has this week allocated 7 million euros to the PA, through a technical agreements signed with Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

“This agreement is aimed at supporting the Palestinian presence and promoting social and economic development in Area C, which we all know is of crucial importance for the economic viability of Palestine,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.

According to an EU official, the push to develop Area C is in line with the May 2012 conclusion of its External Relations Council, composed of member states’ foreign ministers, which said that socioeconomic development had to be advanced there to preserve the two-state solution.

According to the same official, the money will help in the construction of basic infrastructure for water and sanitation, as well as to increase agriculture production.

The official said the funds will also allow the Palestinian communities in Area C to develop master plans to cover their demographic and socioeconomic needs.

I am so glad that my tax shekels are going to support such a worthy cause as funding development for those who spend their time plotting to murder me and my children and grandchildren, God forbid, while not doing anything productive themselves. I cannot think of a more noble way to spend the 70% or so of every shekel I earn that goes to my government in one way or another.

And in the meanwhile, my government is also spending money to expel Jews from places like Migron and Givat HaUlpana. 

What the....

Labels: Israeli taxes, Judea and Samaria, Palestinians

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:43 AM