Arab Solidarity
Harold's List
The Wall Street Journal
Last month we noted that Iraqis are getting little help from their fellow Arabs. The other largely unreported -- and related -- scandal is that Arab governments aren't doing much to help their Palestinian brethren either.
According to IMF estimates, Arab countries contributed last year $98 million out of the $332 million in international budget support for the Palestinian Authority. And despite $60-plus oil, the Gulf states still let the West and the World Bank carry most of the burden. Even the European Union is no longer amused. Last week, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the commissioner for external relations, proposed to increase total EU aid to the PA to ─300 million, up from ─200 million, calling on Arab states to be more generous as well.
We are no big fans of development aid, which in the best case keeps recipients dependent on handouts and in the worst ends up in the pockets of corrupt officials. Palestinians, who already receive the most aid per capita of anyone in the world, have used part of the money to finance terrorism against Israel. To really improve the lot of their people, the PA will have to provide law and order by suppressing Hamas and other terrorist groups. Its overall record of governance could stand a lot of improvement too.
Having said this, we doubt that Arab stinginess can be construed as a rejection of traditional development policy. Arab states have also been reluctant to help out on the diplomatic front. There have been a number of meetings between Arab and Israeli leaders following the Gaza withdrawal but the Arabs still refuse to establish diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. Saudi columnist Yousef al-Suwaidan, writing in the Kuwaiti daily al-Seyassah, recently urged Arabs to normalize relations with Jerusalem. "A positive Arab response at this particular time will boost the political peace process and a historic reconciliation in the Middle East."
Mr. al-Suwaidan is correct, but he assumes that Arab leaders are actually interested in ending a conflict that has served them so well in distracting their peoples from leadership failures.
The Wall Street Journal
Last month we noted that Iraqis are getting little help from their fellow Arabs. The other largely unreported -- and related -- scandal is that Arab governments aren't doing much to help their Palestinian brethren either.
According to IMF estimates, Arab countries contributed last year $98 million out of the $332 million in international budget support for the Palestinian Authority. And despite $60-plus oil, the Gulf states still let the West and the World Bank carry most of the burden. Even the European Union is no longer amused. Last week, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the commissioner for external relations, proposed to increase total EU aid to the PA to ─300 million, up from ─200 million, calling on Arab states to be more generous as well.
We are no big fans of development aid, which in the best case keeps recipients dependent on handouts and in the worst ends up in the pockets of corrupt officials. Palestinians, who already receive the most aid per capita of anyone in the world, have used part of the money to finance terrorism against Israel. To really improve the lot of their people, the PA will have to provide law and order by suppressing Hamas and other terrorist groups. Its overall record of governance could stand a lot of improvement too.
Having said this, we doubt that Arab stinginess can be construed as a rejection of traditional development policy. Arab states have also been reluctant to help out on the diplomatic front. There have been a number of meetings between Arab and Israeli leaders following the Gaza withdrawal but the Arabs still refuse to establish diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. Saudi columnist Yousef al-Suwaidan, writing in the Kuwaiti daily al-Seyassah, recently urged Arabs to normalize relations with Jerusalem. "A positive Arab response at this particular time will boost the political peace process and a historic reconciliation in the Middle East."
Mr. al-Suwaidan is correct, but he assumes that Arab leaders are actually interested in ending a conflict that has served them so well in distracting their peoples from leadership failures.
posted by Marko at 10/13/2005 10:18:00 PM
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