Jerusalem – The United States has warned it will cut aid to the Palestinians if they proceed with a unilateral bid for statehood at the U.N in September, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Friday.
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Israel and the U.S. strongly oppose the Palestinians’ U.N. plan, saying Palestinian statehood should only be achieved through negotiations. They maintain that a Palestinian state must emerge from Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, which have been stalled for almost a year.
Erekat said the U.S. Consul-General in Jerusalem, Daniel Rubinstein, told him Friday that the U.S. will take “punitive measures” if the Palestinians proceed with seeking U.N. recognition of statehood. Erekat said Rubinstein warned the U.S. will stop granting the Palestinians an annual aid package of $470 million.
“The American Congress will take punitive measures against the Palestinian Authority including halting American assistance,” Erekat quoted the consul-general as saying.
The U.S. consulate said it had no immediate comment.
The U.N. vote is largely symbolic. The Palestinians believe it will send a powerful message to Israel. The Palestinians say they are assured nonmember state status if they turn to the General Assembly.
Palestinians are planning mass demonstrations across the West Bank and abroad to coincide with the September U.N. General Assembly session, which they hope will give official endorsement for their state. The statehood initiative reflects frustration with long stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.
What am I missing here? Does this not violate the Oslo Accords?
Why is the United States giving aid to them in the first place?There are several very wealthy Arab countries, let them help their own.