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Bush requests aid for Israel, Palestinians

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Friday, September 6, 2002

The Bush administration has renewed its request for aid to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

President George Bush has asked Congress for $250 million in additional aid for Israel and the Palestinians. The move came less than a month after Bush rejected a $5.1 billion congressional request that was to have included the funding.

The Bush request is meant to help Israel improve security against Palestinian suicide bombings and other attacks. Under this request Israel would receive $200 million. Egypt, which had requested $130 million, was not allocated any funds.

The administration wants to provide $50 million for the Palestinians.

Officials said this allocation would grant humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians and not be relayed to the Palestinian Authority.

"These amendments continue my commitment to provide necessary resources to enhance transportation security, to assist Israel and the people of the West Bank and Gaza, and to fight the growing pandemic of HIV/AIDS among developing countries," Bush said in a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert.

The specifics of the aid to Israel were not outlined in Bush's letter. Israel receives about $3 billion in annual economic and military aid.

Officials said the $50 million to the Palestinians would help maintain humanitarian, refugee and reconstruction assistance projects for the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The projects are being managed by non-governmental organizations.

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